Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2026-31500

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-04-22

Fix available

A fix is available. Upgrade to 6.6.131 / 6.12.80 or later.

See remediation →

80/100

Remediation priority · High

Zero-click Patch available

Official description

NVD · unedited

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: btintel: serialize btintel_hw_error() with hci_req_sync_lock btintel_hw_error() issues two __hci_cmd_sync() calls (HCI_OP_RESET and Intel exception-info retrieval) without holding hci_req_sync_lock(). This lets it race against hci_dev_do_close() -> btintel_shutdown_combined(), which also runs __hci_cmd_sync() under the same lock. When both paths manipulate hdev->req_status/req_rsp concurrently, the close path may free the response skb first, and the still-running hw_error path hits a slab-use-after-free in kfree_skb(). Wrap the whole recovery sequence in hci_req_sync_lock/unlock so it is serialized with every other synchronous HCI command issuer. Below is the data race report and the kasan report: BUG: data-race in __hci_cmd_sync_sk / btintel_shutdown_combined read of hdev->req_rsp at net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c:199 by task kworker/u17:1/83: __hci_cmd_sync_sk+0x12f2/0x1c30 net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c:200 __hci_cmd_sync+0x55/0x80 net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c:223 btintel_hw_error+0x114/0x670 drivers/bluetooth/btintel.c:254 hci_error_reset+0x348/0xa30 net/bluetooth/hci_core.c:1030 write/free by task ioctl/22580: btintel_shutdown_combined+0xd0/0x360 drivers/bluetooth/btintel.c:3648 hci_dev_close_sync+0x9ae/0x2c10 net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c:5246 hci_dev_do_close+0x232/0x460 net/bluetooth/hci_core.c:526 BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in sk_skb_reason_drop+0x43/0x380 net/core/skbuff.c:1202 Read of size 4 at addr ffff888144a738dc by task kworker/u17:1/83: __hci_cmd_sync_sk+0x12f2/0x1c30 net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c:200 __hci_cmd_sync+0x55/0x80 net/bluetooth/hci_sync.c:223 btintel_hw_error+0x186/0x670 drivers/bluetooth/btintel.c:260

Technical summary

dbcve analysis

How this class of weakness works · CWE-416

Memory is used after it has been freed, so its contents — now potentially attacker-controlled — drive the program's behaviour. With careful heap grooming this becomes code execution. The fix requires disciplined ownership of memory and often a targeted rework of the object lifecycle.

General guidance for the use after free class — the official description and references above are authoritative for this specific CVE. Want a bespoke review and a reviewed fix? Ask our team →

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

Linux KernelOperating system

Affected:>= 4.3.1, < 6.6.131>= 6.7, < 6.12.80>= 6.13, < 6.18.21>= 6.19, < 6.19.11= 4.3= 7.0

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges: Low
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Remediation

dbcve · scoped

Upgrade available Upgrade to 6.6.131 / 6.12.80 / 6.18.21 or later

Fixed in 6.6.1316.12.806.18.21

Vendor patch git.kernel.org →

Recommended fix High confidence

Upgrade to kernel >= 6.6.131 (for 6.6.x branch), >= 6.12.80 (for 6.7-6.12.x branch), >= 6.18.21 (for 6.13-6.18.x branch), or >= 6.19.11 (for 6.19.x branch)

Identify the currently running kernel version using `uname -r`
Determine which version range your current kernel falls into based on the affected versions: 4.3.1-6.6.x, 6.7-6.12.x, 6.13-6.18.x, or 6.19.x
Upgrade to a kernel version that includes the fix: for 6.6.x branch upgrade to >= 6.6.131, for 6.7-6.12.x upgrade to >= 6.12.80, for 6.13-6.18.x upgrade to >= 6.18.21, for 6.19.x upgrade to >= 6.19.11
Apply the upgrade through your distribution's package manager (e.g., `apt-get dist-upgrade`, `yum update`, or `dnf upgrade`)
Reboot the system to load the patched kernel
Verify the fix is applied by checking the kernel version with `uname -r` and confirming it meets the minimum fixed version for your branch

Caveat Kernel upgrades may require rebooting services and could introduce compatibility issues with proprietary kernel modules or older drivers; test in a staging environment before production deployment

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

We can perform the upgrade in your staging environment and verify nothing breaks — typical engagement from $3,200. Get the upgrade done

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally

dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-31500 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

References

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-31500 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2026-31500?

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

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

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

At a glance

A fix existsUpgrade to 6.6.131 / 6.12.80 or later

Severity 7.8 High

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 0.1%

Affects: Linux Kernel

Remediation

A high-priority fix

Get a fix

Estimated effortfrom ~18 hrs

ComplexityComplex

Typical engagementfrom $3,200

What a fix involves

We scope it with you and confirm a fixed quote
A specialist builds a reviewed fix
You deploy it to staging first
Optional re-test once it’s live

A high-priority vulnerability. Send your environment and a specialist will scope CVE-2026-31500 and return a fixed quote and timeline.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Remediation

References