# CVE-2021-21367: Incorrect Authorization in switchboard-plug-bluetooth

> Attackers can pair with devices without user consent, potentially extracting data or controlling input if specific services are installed.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Mar 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5p3g-j69g-w2mq, openSUSE-SU-2024:14486-1

## What is CVE-2021-21367?

CVE-2021-21367 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 12 Mar 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Switchboard Bluetooth Plug for elementary OS from version 2.3.0 and before version version 2.3.5 has an incorrect authorization vulnerability. When the Bluetooth plug is running (in discoverable mode), Bluetooth service requests and pairing requests are automatically accepted, allowing physically proximate attackers to pair with a device running an affected version of switchboard-plug-bluetooth without the active consent of the user. By default, elementary OS doesn't expose any services via Bluetooth that allow information to be extracted by paired Bluetooth devices. However, if such services (i.e. contact list sharing software) have been installed, it's possible that attackers have been able to extract data from such services without authorization. If no such services have been installed, attackers are only able to pair with a device running an affected version without authorization and then play audio out of the device or possibly present a HID device (keyboard, mouse, etc...) to control the device. As such, users should check the list of trusted/paired devices and remove any that are not 100% confirmed to be genuine. This is fixed in version 2.3.5. To reduce the likelihood of this vulnerability on an unpatched version, only open the Bluetooth plug for short intervals when absolutely necessary and preferably not in crowded public areas. To mitigate the risk entirely with unpatched versions, do not open the Bluetooth plug within switchboard at all, and use a different method for pairing devices if necessary (e.g. `bluetoothctl` CLI).

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-21367?

It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `switchboard-plug-bluetooth` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 8.0.1-1.1 |

Products: Elementary Switchboard Bluetooth Plug, Fedoraproject Fedora.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-21367?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2021-21367 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21367 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-21367 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-21367 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 12 Mar 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21367 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Fedoraproject Fedora. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21367/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21367/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-21367
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21367
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-21367

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21367/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.