CVE-2026-43023: Bluetooth: SCO: fix race conditions in sco_sock_connect()

Published May 1, 2026
·
Updated

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

Bluetooth: SCO: fix race conditions in scosockconnect()

scosockconnect() checks skstate and sktype without holding the socket lock. Two concurrent connect() syscalls on the same socket can both pass the check and enter scoconnect(), leading to use-after-free.

The buggy scenario involves three participants and was confirmed with additional logging instrumentation:

Thread A (connect): HCI disconnect: Thread B (connect):

scosockconnect(sk) scosockconnect(sk) skstate==BTOPEN skstate==BTOPEN (pass, no lock) (pass, no lock) scoconnect(sk): scoconnect(sk): hcidevlock hcidevlock hciconnectsco <- blocked -> hcon1 scoconnadd->conn1 locksock(sk) scochanadd: conn1->sk = sk sk->conn = conn1 skstate=BTCONNECT releasesock hcidevunlock hcidevlock scoconndel: locksock(sk) scochandel: sk->conn=NULL conn1->sk=NULL skstate= BTCLOSED SOCKZAPPED releasesock hcidevunlock (unblocked) hciconnectsco -> hcon2 scoconnadd -> conn2 locksock(sk) scochanadd: sk->conn=conn2 skstate= BTCONNECT // zombie sk! releasesock hcidevunlock

Thread B revives a BTCLOSED + SOCKZAPPED socket back to BTCONNECT. Subsequent cleanup triggers double sockput() and use-after-free. Meanwhile conn1 is leaked as it was orphaned when scoconndel() cleared the association.

Fix this by: - Moving locksock() before the skstate/sktype checks in scosockconnect() to serialize concurrent connect attempts - Fixing the sktype != SOCKSEQPACKET check to actually return the error instead of just assigning it - Adding a state re-check in scoconnect() after locksock() to catch state changes during the window between the locks - Adding scopi(sk)->conn check in scochanadd() to prevent double-attach of a socket to multiple connections - Adding hciconndrop() on scochanadd failure to prevent HCI connection leaks

Affected Software

15 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel (Bluetooth SCO)
Linux Linux kernel>=6.1.109<6.1.168
Linux Linux kernel>=6.3.1<6.6.134
Linux Linux kernel>=6.7<6.12.81
Linux Linux kernel>=6.13<6.18.22
Linux Linux kernel>=6.19<6.19.12
Linux Linux kernel=6.3
Linux Linux kernel=6.3-rc7
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc5
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc6
debian/linux
6.1.176-16.1.190-16.12.107-16.12.115-27.2.12-17.2.15-1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.1.176-1Fixed in 6.1.190-1Fixed in 6.12.107-1Fixed in 6.12.113-1Fixed in 7.2.12-1Fixed in 7.2.14-1

Event History

May 1, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:15 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:15 PM
DescriptionSeverity
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·03:10 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·03:16 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Peer vulnerabilities

Found alongside the following vulnerabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-43023?

CVE-2026-43023 has been classified as a medium-severity vulnerability due to potential race conditions that can lead to unexpected behavior in Bluetooth SCO connections.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-43023?

To fix CVE-2026-43023, you should update your Linux kernel to the latest version that includes the patch for this vulnerability.

3

What versions of the Linux kernel are affected by CVE-2026-43023?

CVE-2026-43023 affects multiple versions of the Linux kernel that support Bluetooth SCO operations prior to the patch release.

4

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-43023?

CVE-2026-43023 is a race condition vulnerability occurring in the sco_sock_connect() function of the Linux kernel related to Bluetooth SCO.

5

Who should be concerned about CVE-2026-43023?

Developers and system administrators using affected versions of the Linux kernel with Bluetooth support should be concerned about CVE-2026-43023.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203