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Bcm4335c0 FirmwareOperating system · Broadcom

CVE-2018-19860

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2019-06-07
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
93/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
Broadcom firmware before summer 2014 on Nexus 5 BCM4335C0 2012-12-11, Raspberry Pi 3 BCM43438A1 2014-06-02, and unspecifed other devices does not properly restrict LMP commnds and executes certain memory contents upon receiving an LMP command, as demonstrated by executing an HCI command.

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 confidence

This is a firmware-level vulnerability in Broadcom Bluetooth chipsets (BCM4335C0, BCM43438A1) where the Link Management Protocol (LMP) parser does not properly validate or restrict incoming LMP commands. An attacker can send crafted LMP commands that cause the firmware to execute arbitrary memory contents as HCI commands, leading to code execution on the affected device.

MitigationUpdate the Broadcom Bluetooth firmware to a version released after summer 2014 on all affected devices. For discontinued devices (e.g., Nexus 5) that no longer receive firmware updates, consider replacing the hardware or disabling Bluetooth if possible.

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
Bcm4335c0 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:= 2012-12-11
Bcm43438a1 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:= 2014-06-02
Cyw20702a1kwfbg FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Cyw20702a1kwfbgt FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Cyw20702b0kwfbg FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Cyw20702b0kwfbgt FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Cyw20703ua1kffb1g FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Cyw20703ua1kffb1gt FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions

CVSS 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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the Bluetooth chipset model
    On Linux, run 'hcitool -i hci0 info' or check 'lsusb' output for the Bluetooth device. On Android, use a Bluetooth info app or check /proc/bluetooth/adriver_info. On Windows, check Device Manager under Bluetooth radios.
    Affected if The chipset is a Broadcom BCM4335C0, BCM43438A1, or any Cypress Cyw20702/20703 variant (including a1kwfbg, a1kwfbgt, b0kwfbg, b0kwfbgt, ua1kffb1g, ua1kffb1gt).
  2. Retrieve the installed Bluetooth firmware version
    On Linux, use 'hciconfig -a' or check the firmware revision via 'hcitool -i hci0 revision'. On Android, use Bluetooth settings 'About phone' then 'Bluetooth info' to view firmware version. On Windows, check Device Manager, select the Bluetooth adapter, go to Driver details for firmware version.
    Affected if The firmware version cannot be determined or shows as the vulnerable date-specific versions (2012-12-11 for BCM4335C0, 2014-06-02 for BCM43438A1) or shows as any version for Cypress chipsets.
  3. Check if Bluetooth is enabled and discoverable
    Verify Bluetooth is turned on via system settings or 'rfkill list' to confirm the adapter is not blocked. Use 'hciconfig' on Linux or system Bluetooth settings to check the current state.
    Affected if Bluetooth is enabled and actively communicating with the vulnerable firmware, making it reachable to nearby attackers who could send malicious LMP commands.
  4. Confirm firmware version matches affected ranges
    Compare your retrieved firmware version against: Broadcom BCM4335C0 (= 2012-12-11), BCM43438A1 (= 2014-06-02), or ANY version for Cypress Cyw20702/20703 chipsets.
    Affected if Your exact firmware version matches one of the affected versions listed, or your chipset is a Cypress variant (all versions affected).

You are affected if your device uses a Broadcom BCM4335C0, BCM43438A1, or any Cypress Cyw20702/20703 chipset and the installed Bluetooth firmware version matches the specific vulnerable versions or is an unpatched Cypress firmware.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update the Broadcom Bluetooth firmware to a version released after summer 2014 on all affected devices. For discontinued devices (e.g., Nexus 5) that no longer receive firmware updates, consider replacing the hardware or disabling Bluetooth if possible.

Fix this in Bcm4335c0 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2018-19860 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data