CVE-2026-74509 Bluetooth: hci_sync: Fix advertising data UAFs
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel Bluetooth subsystem allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges via race conditions in advertising data handling.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-74509?
CVE-2026-74509 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 Aug 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 advertising data UAFs
hci_find_adv_instance() returns an adv_info pointer that is valid only while hdev->lock is held. The advertising command-sync paths perform instance lookups without that lock and, in some cases, retain the pointer while waiting for a controller response.
An advertising termination event can therefore interleave as follows:
hci_cmd_sync_work hci_rx_work hci_find_adv_instance() __hci_cmd_sync_status() wait for controller reply hci_dev_lock() hci_remove_adv_instance() kfree(adv) adv->scan_rsp_changed = false
KASAN reported:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in hci_set_ext_scan_rsp_data_sync+0x2e1/0x300 Write of size 1 at addr ffff88810a45d21d by task kworker/u17:0/88 Workqueue: hci0 hci_cmd_sync_work Call Trace: hci_set_ext_scan_rsp_data_sync+0x2e1/0x300 hci_schedule_adv_instance_sync+0x390/0x4c0 hci_cmd_sync_work+0x173/0x300 Allocated by task 87: hci_add_adv_instance+0x538/0xac0 add_advertising+0x885/0x1160 Freed by task 89: kfree+0x131/0x3c0 hci_remove_adv_instance+0x1d8/0x3b0 hci_le_ext_adv_term_evt+0x17b/0x730
Protect the instance lookup and payload construction in the extended advertising, scan response, and periodic advertising data paths. Snapshot the advertising parameters under hdev->lock, but release the lock before waiting for the controller.
Clear advertising-data dirty bits before issuing their commands and restore them after a failure using a fresh lookup. Likewise, update the reported transmit power through a fresh lookup after the parameter command completes. No adv_info pointer then survives an HCI command wait.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-74509?
How do I fix CVE-2026-74509?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-74509 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-74509 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-96246, BELL-CVE-2026-74509, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-74509, GHSA-hf7x-6gqh-pvqm, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-74509.