# CVE-2026-31511: Bluetooth: MGMT: Fix dangling pointer on mgmt_add_adv_patterns_monitor_complete

> A dangling pointer in the Linux kernel Bluetooth subsystem allows attackers to trigger a use-after-free, potentially leading to code execution or system crashes.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 22 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-31511, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-31511, GHSA-q648-4769-6m83, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-13-CVE-2026-31511, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-31511, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-31511

## What is CVE-2026-31511?

CVE-2026-31511 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 22 Apr 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

Bluetooth: MGMT: Fix dangling pointer on mgmt_add_adv_patterns_monitor_complete

This fixes the condition checking so mgmt_pending_valid is executed
whenever status != -ECANCELED otherwise calling mgmt_pending_free(cmd)
would kfree(cmd) without unlinking it from the list first, leaving a
dangling pointer. Any subsequent list traversal (e.g.,
mgmt_pending_foreach during __mgmt_power_off, or another
mgmt_pending_valid call) would dereference freed memory.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-31511?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-31511?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-31511 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-31511 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-31511 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-31511 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 22 Apr 2026. 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-2026-31511 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2026-31511/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-31511/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-31511
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-31511
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-31511

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-31511/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.