Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5 hci_conn hci_setup_sync memory leak

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
7.0	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.187/6.6.156/6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5. The impacted element is the function hci_setup_sync of the component hci_conn. This manipulation causes memory leak. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2026-90255. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. No exploit is available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.187/6.6.156/6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5. Affected by this vulnerability is the function hci_setup_sync of the component hci_conn. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory leak vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-401. The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, which slowly consumes remaining memory. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: hci_conn: fix the SCO setup context lifetime hci_setup_sync() queues a conn_handle_t with a NULL destroy callback, so the context is only freed if hci_enhanced_setup_sync() actually runs. An entry that is cancelled instead is leaked, as _hci_cmd_sync_cancel_entry() does not release entry->data when there is no destroy callback, and hci_cmd_sync_clear() cancels every pending entry when the controller is unregistered. The context also stores a bare hci_conn pointer, so the connection can be freed while the work is queued. The dequeue in hci_conn_del() does not cover it either, as it matches on entry->data == conn and entry->data is the wrapper here. Same problem as commit 2f5d635ad590 ("Bluetooth: hci_sync: hold conn in hci_connect_acl/le_sync() callbacks"). Hold the connection and release both from a destroy callback. The submission failure path drops both, since hci_cmd_sync_submit() does not call the destroy callback when it fails to queue.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-90255 since 09/11/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 09/17/2026). MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1499 for this issue.

Upgrading to version 6.1.188, 6.6.157, 6.12.110, 6.18.52, 7.2.6 or 7.3-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 37cfec41365c826d5496ef5d00c9e215eee53aa2/9a2ba69cebe3fc5a3d4fa8eaaad3c42862723c27/a661de0ee29d0915c5e924edf91d2be2b4d35bae/c1fe3c74a89a7749cba3caa0dd91236049c66116/4d7b1c834d2775b73c65e4888e01f5af8b477fe9/42de40abe25db9211107af8896d0fd741f10648d is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.1.187
• 6.6.156
• 6.12.109
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 6.18.42
• 6.18.43
• 6.18.44
• 6.18.45
• 6.18.46
• 6.18.47
• 6.18.48
• 6.18.49
• 6.18.50
• 6.18.51
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.2.5

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.0

VulDB Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Temp Score: 7.0
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Memory leak
CWE: CWE-401 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.1.188/6.6.157/6.12.110/6.18.52/7.2.6/7.3-rc1
Patch: 37cfec41365c826d5496ef5d00c9e215eee53aa2/9a2ba69cebe3fc5a3d4fa8eaaad3c42862723c27/a661de0ee29d0915c5e924edf91d2be2b4d35bae/c1fe3c74a89a7749cba3caa0dd91236049c66116/4d7b1c834d2775b73c65e4888e01f5af8b477fe9/42de40abe25db9211107af8896d0fd741f10648d

Timelineinfo

09/11/2026 CVE reserved
09/17/2026 +6 days Advisory disclosed
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-90255 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-90255
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-406765

Entryinfo

Created: 09/17/2026 21:02
Changes: 09/17/2026 21:02 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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