CVE-2016-6541
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedTrackR Bravo device allows unauthenticated pairing, which enables unauthenticated connected applications to write to various device attributes. Updated apps, version 5.1.6 for iOS and 2.2.5 for Android, have been released by the vendor to address the vulnerabilities in CVE-2016-6538, CVE-2016-6539, CVE-2016-6540 and CVE-2016-6541.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe TrackR Bravo Bluetooth tracking device permits unauthenticated pairing, allowing any nearby BLE device to connect and write to device attributes without proper authentication. This vulnerability stems from the device's failure to require authentication during the pairing process, enabling malicious actors to modify device settings or functionality.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 2.2.5< 5.1.6CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Adjacent
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Confirm TrackR Bravo ownershipIdentify if you own or use a TrackR Bravo Bluetooth tracking tag. This is a small, coin-shaped BLE device typically used for item tracking.Affected if User possesses a TrackR Bravo device
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Check companion app versionOpen the TrackR app on your mobile device and navigate to Settings or Device Info to find the app version. On iOS, check the App Store version. On Android, check the Play Store version or app settings.Affected if Cannot determine device firmware version directly
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Determine device firmware versionOpen the TrackR companion mobile application, connect to your TrackR Bravo device, and access the device settings or about section to view the firmware version. This typically requires the device to be in Bluetooth range and paired.Affected if Firmware version is below 2.2.5 for Android-paired devices or below 5.1.6 for iOS-paired devices, or firmware version cannot be verified on older app versions
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Assess BLE pairing exposureSince the vulnerability allows unauthenticated BLE pairing, verify if your TrackR Bravo is currently in pairing/discoverable mode or has been recently paired. Check if Bluetooth is enabled on your mobile device when near the TrackR.Affected if Device firmware is vulnerable AND device is Bluetooth-discoverable or actively connected
You are affected if you own a TrackR Bravo with firmware version below 2.2.5 (Android app) or below 5.1.6 (iOS app), or if you cannot verify the firmware version due to using an outdated companion app.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data2.2.55.1.6
Update the TrackR companion mobile application to version 5.1.6 (iOS) or 2.2.5 (Android) to address the vulnerability. Users should also ensure their device firmware is current and disable Bluetooth when not in use to reduce attack surface.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2016-6541 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-6541 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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