CVE-2026-16473 in Red Hat
Summary
by MITRE • 07/22/2026
A flaw was found in the sbc library (BlueZ SBC codec). An off-by-one error in the SBC frame decoder allows a crafted audio payload to trigger a one-byte heap out-of-bounds read. This could allow an adjacent attacker streaming Bluetooth audio to read a single byte of adjacent heap memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2026
The vulnerability resides within the sbc library component of BlueZ, which implements the SBC codec for Bluetooth audio streaming. This flaw represents a classic memory safety issue that emerges from improper bounds checking during frame decoding operations. The off-by-one error occurs when processing SBC audio frames, where the decoder fails to properly validate array indices against buffer boundaries, creating a condition where one byte beyond allocated heap memory can be accessed.
This particular vulnerability manifests as a heap out-of-bounds read operation that affects the SBC frame decoder implementation. The flaw enables an adjacent attacker who has access to the Bluetooth streaming channel to craft malicious audio payloads that deliberately trigger the memory access violation. When such a payload is processed by the vulnerable decoder, it results in reading exactly one byte from adjacent heap memory locations, potentially exposing sensitive data structures, cryptographic keys, or other confidential information stored in nearby memory segments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential attack vectors for more sophisticated exploitation techniques. An attacker could leverage this one-byte read to gather entropy information about heap layout, which might aid in bypassing security mitigations like address space layout randomization or stack canaries. The adjacent network access requirement means that attackers must be within Bluetooth range and have the ability to establish a connection to the target device, but this limitation does not significantly reduce the threat level given the prevalence of Bluetooth-enabled devices.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes improper bounds checking in input validation scenarios. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and control communications through Bluetooth protocols. The memory access pattern suggests potential exploitation paths for information disclosure attacks that could lead to further system compromise. Organizations utilizing BlueZ implementations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where Bluetooth audio streaming is prevalent.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected BlueZ versions and implementation of proper input validation controls within the SBC decoder component. Network segmentation and Bluetooth access control measures can help reduce attack surface exposure while patches are deployed. Additional monitoring for anomalous Bluetooth traffic patterns may aid in detecting exploitation attempts, though this vulnerability's limited impact makes detection challenging without specific forensic analysis tools. The remediation process should also include thorough code review of similar memory handling patterns across the BlueZ codebase to prevent analogous issues from persisting in other components.