CVE-2026-43023
HighIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: SCO: fix race conditions in sco_sock_connect() sco_sock_connect() checks sk_state and sk_type without holding the socket lock. Two concurrent connect() syscalls on the same socket can both pass the check and enter sco_connect(), 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): sco_sock_connect(sk) sco_sock_connect(sk) sk_state==BT_OPEN sk_state==BT_OPEN (pass, no lock) (pass, no lock) sco_connect(sk): sco_connect(sk): hci_dev_lock hci_dev_lock hci_connect_sco <- blocked -> hcon1 sco_conn_add->conn1 lock_sock(sk) sco_chan_add: conn1->sk = sk sk->conn = conn1 sk_state=BT_CONNECT release_sock hci_dev_unlock hci_dev_lock sco_conn_del: lock_sock(sk) sco_chan_del: sk->conn=NULL conn1->sk=NULL sk_state= BT_CLOSED SOCK_ZAPPED release_sock hci_dev_unlock (unblocked) hci_connect_sco -> hcon2 sco_conn_add -> conn2 lock_sock(sk) sco_chan_add: sk->conn=conn2 sk_state= BT_CONNECT // zombie sk! release_sock hci_dev_unlock Thread B revives a BT_CLOSED + SOCK_ZAPPED socket back to BT_CONNECT. Subsequent cleanup triggers double sock_put() and use-after-free. Meanwhile conn1 is leaked as it was orphaned when sco_conn_del() cleared the association. Fix this by: - Moving lock_sock() before the sk_state/sk_type checks in sco_sock_connect() to serialize concurrent connect attempts - Fixing the sk_type != SOCK_SEQPACKET check to actually return the error instead of just assigning it - Adding a state re-check in sco_connect() after lock_sock() to catch state changes during the window between the locks - Adding sco_pi(sk)->conn check in sco_chan_add() to prevent double-attach of a socket to multiple connections - Adding hci_conn_drop() on sco_chan_add failure to prevent HCI connection leaks
CVSS 3.1 score
7.8
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness type
CWE-362CVE-2026-43023 is a Race Condition vulnerability
What is Race Condition?
The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, creating unexpected states. Learn more on MITRE CWE
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
6.1.109,
6.3
and later are affected. Fixed in
6.1.168,
6.6.134,
6.12.81,
6.18.22,
6.19.12,
7.0
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-43023 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7e296ffdab5bdab718dff7c14288fdcb9154fa27
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a5b0135d4a5d9683203a3d9a12a711ccec5936b
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/98c8d3bfdaa657d8f472dbbebd7ea8cd816d8a8d
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-43023?
CVE-2026-43023 is a High severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10 , classified as a Race Condition flaw (CWE-362) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.1.109 onward and has been patched in 6.1.168, 6.6.134, 6.12.81 and others. CVE-2026-43023 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-43023?
CVE-2026-43023 has a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10, rated High severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-43023?
Yes — CVE-2026-43023 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.1.168, 6.6.134, 6.12.81 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 6.1.109 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-43023 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-43023 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.
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What is Race Condition (CWE-362)?
The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, creating unexpected states. View CWE-362 on MITRE CWE →