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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesBleedingTooth is the name given to three vulnerabilities in Linux’s Bluetooth subsystem, disclosed in 2020. On a vulnerable system, a nearby attacker could send Bluetooth traffic without requiring the user to click or approve a prompt; one flaw could cause a crash or potentially enable code execution. It did not make every Linux computer or Bluetooth device remotely exploitable. To address it now, check the security notice for your Linux distribution and release, install the applicable kernel update, and reboot if the vendor instructs you to.
What is BleedingTooth?
BleedingTooth is a label used by Google security researcher Andy Nguyen for a set of flaws in the Linux kernel’s host-side Bluetooth processing. It is not a defect in every Bluetooth radio, nor one vulnerability shared by all Linux installations. The bugs involved different parts of Bluetooth packet processing and had different potential effects.
“Zero-click” describes the absence of a required victim interaction in the attack described: the victim need not open a file, click a link, or approve a pairing prompt. It does not mean an attacker can exploit a machine over the internet from anywhere. The reported attack scenario involves an unauthenticated attacker within Bluetooth range, and exploitability depends on the affected system and its conditions. Google Security Research’s technical write-up demonstrated an exploit against x86-64 Ubuntu 20.04.1; that demonstration does not establish that every distribution, architecture, kernel build, or Bluetooth configuration is vulnerable.
What are the three main BleedingTooth vulnerabilities?
The three highlighted CVEs are distinct bugs. Their mechanisms and possible consequences should not be treated as interchangeable.
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| CVE and name | Bug and processing path | Potential impact and conditions |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2020-12351 (BadKarma) | Type confusion in handling L2CAP packets associated with an A2MP channel identifier. | A nearby remote attacker could crash the system or potentially execute arbitrary code, according to Red Hat’s advisory. Red Hat’s RHEL-specific summary lists Bluetooth hardware present and enabled, proximity, and knowledge of the system’s MAC address among its stated conditions; those conditions are scoped to that RHEL summary. Red Hat’s advisory also notes RHEL 7.2 and 7.3 exceptions for this CVE. |
| CVE-2020-12352 (BadChoice) | Improper memory initialization while handling certain AMP packets, causing a stack-memory information leak. | Potential disclosure of small portions of kernel stack memory. This is an information leak, not the same code-execution effect described for CVE-2020-12351. |
| CVE-2020-24490 (BadVibes) | Heap buffer overflow while processing HCI extended Bluetooth advertising report events. | Red Hat says exploitation in its advisory’s context requires the system to be actively scanning. It is a separate parser flaw from the L2CAP/A2MP and AMP issues. |
The Linux Bluetooth stack processes controller events and data through the Host Controller Interface (HCI), transport layers such as L2CAP, and higher-level protocols including A2MP. These vulnerabilities were in the Linux kernel’s handling of that input; their presence does not by itself establish that a particular system is exposed.
Does BleedingTooth affect your Linux computer?
You cannot determine exposure from the word “Linux” or from a single kernel version alone. Distribution vendors backport security fixes and publish package-specific notices, so the relevant answer depends on your distribution, release, installed kernel package, and—in some cases—Bluetooth configuration.
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- For Ubuntu, consult Canonical’s USN-4592-1 notice, published October 20, 2020. It lists affected and fixed package versions for specific Ubuntu releases and kernel packages; it is not a universal version test for all Ubuntu systems.
- For Red Hat Enterprise Linux, consult Red Hat’s BleedingTooth advisory, which covers specified RHEL 7 and 8 products and streams, with exceptions and package errata. Red Hat says CVE-2020-24490 affected its RHEL 8.3 GA kernels. The advisory also explains that the timing of RHEL 8.3 GA led to regression-tracking CVEs CVE-2020-25661 and CVE-2020-25662 for the first two issues.
- For other distributions, check that distribution’s security tracker for the CVE identifiers and the exact release you run. The existence of an upstream fix does not show whether a vendor package on your machine contains it.
The researcher reported that CVE-2020-24490 was fixed on the Linux mainline branch on July 30, 2020, and that fixes for CVE-2020-12352 and CVE-2020-12351 entered bluetooth-next on September 25, 2020. Those upstream dates describe patch history, not the current status of a distribution’s package. Intel’s INTEL-SA-00435, initially released October 13 and revised October 15, 2020, also recommends installing the linked kernel fixes.
How do you fix BleedingTooth?
- Identify your distribution and release. Use your system’s release information or system settings, then open the security tracker for that exact distribution and release.
- Search the vendor notice for the relevant CVE and kernel package. Check the package currently installed against the vendor’s affected and fixed package information; do not rely on a kernel version copied from a different distribution.
- Install the applicable vendor update. Use the normal package-management process recommended by your distribution. Red Hat recommends updating to new kernel packages as available; Ubuntu’s notice directs affected users to update.
- Reboot when the vendor directs. Ubuntu’s USN-4592-1 says a reboot is needed after a standard update for the necessary changes to take effect. Follow the instructions for your own system.
Older disclosure and fix dates explain how the issue was addressed, but they cannot confirm whether a machine is patched today. The distribution’s current package and security guidance are the practical basis for that decision.
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Is disabling Bluetooth a useful temporary mitigation?
Red Hat documents disabling Bluetooth functionality as a mitigation, either by preventing Bluetooth kernel modules from loading or by disabling the functionality in hardware or BIOS. This is Red Hat’s guidance; the exact method and verification may differ on another distribution or device. Use your vendor’s instructions rather than assuming a Red Hat-specific procedure applies everywhere. Disabling Bluetooth reduces exposure while it is disabled, but it is not a replacement for installing the applicable kernel update.
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