# CVE-2026-63944: Bluetooth: hci_sync: fix UAF in hci_le_create_cis_sync

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel Bluetooth subsystem allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via a race condition.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-63944, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-63944, GHSA-q8jf-94w2-5pjv, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-63944

## What is CVE-2026-63944?

CVE-2026-63944 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 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: hci_sync: fix UAF in hci_le_create_cis_sync

hci_le_create_cis_sync() dereferences conn->conn_timeout after releasing
both rcu_read_lock() and hci_dev_lock(hdev).  The conn pointer was
obtained from an RCU-protected iteration over hdev->conn_hash.list and
is not valid once these locks are dropped.  A concurrent disconnect can
free the hci_conn between the unlock and the dereference, causing a
use-after-free read.

The cancellation mechanism in hci_conn_del() cannot prevent this because
hci_le_create_cis_pending() queues hci_create_cis_sync with data=NULL:

    hci_cmd_sync_queue(hdev, hci_create_cis_sync, NULL, NULL);

While hci_conn_del() dequeues with data=conn:

    hci_cmd_sync_dequeue(hdev, NULL, conn, NULL);

Since NULL != conn, the lookup in _hci_cmd_sync_lookup_entry() never
matches, and the pending work item is not cancelled.

Fix this by saving conn->conn_timeout into a local variable while the
locks are still held, so the stale conn pointer is never dereferenced
after unlock.

This is the same class of bug as the one fixed by commit 035c25007c9e
("Bluetooth: hci_sync: Fix UAF on le_read_features_complete") which
addressed the identical pattern in a different function.

This vulnerability was identified using 0sec.ai, an open-source
automated security auditing platform (https://github.com/0sec-labs).

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-63944?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-63944?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-63944 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-63944 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-2026-63944 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-63944 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 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-2026-63944 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-2026-63944/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63944/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-63944
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-63944
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-63944

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63944/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.