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CVE-2026-98294

Linux: Bluetooth: hci_qca: Do not write to the serial port after it is closed

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.17%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 6% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in15754e4ec47ac5d117c9609c34a49ed6980ac4a1Also 4e93c65f87825e1e012bce56615320aeb123815dCVE List
Published6 Oct 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 15754e4ec47ac5d117c9609c34a49ed6980ac4a1LinuxCVE List
  • 4e93c65f87825e1e012bce56615320aeb123815dLinuxCVE List

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

Bluetooth: hci_qca: Do not write to the serial port after it is closed

hci_uart_close() closes the serdev port if HCI_QUIRK_NON_PERSISTENT_SETUP is set (for example, for the WCN399x family). A failed hci_dev_open_sync() following a successful qca_setup() calls hdev->close() but not hdev->shutdown(), so the port is closed while power->vregs_on is left true. qca_serdev_remove() then passes its power->vregs_on test and calls qca_power_off(), which writes to the closed port unconditionally.

Seen on a WCN3988 by unbinding the driver after a controller failure. The trace below is from a 7.0.0 based kernel, where qca_power_off() was still named qca_power_shutdown():

Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000038 Call trace: tty_set_termios+0x50/0x238 (P) ttyport_set_baudrate+0x84/0xc0 serdev_device_set_baudrate+0x24/0x40 qca_power_shutdown+0x158/0x1fc [hci_uart] qca_serdev_remove+0x54/0x68 [hci_uart] serdev_drv_remove+0x1c/0x2c device_remove+0x4c/0x80 device_release_driver_internal+0x1cc/0x224 device_driver_detach+0x18/0x24 unbind_store+0xb4/0xc0

Check HCI_UART_PROTO_READY, which hci_uart_close() clears in the same place it closes the port, before writing to it. The regulator disable is left unconditional so the controller is still powered down.

The dangling serport->tty that turns this into a use-after-free is addressed in a separate patch.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 8

  • Linuxaffected: fa9ad876b8e0ebd2b4367ef1580f89be64ebd5d3 before a5414b0a9464b863733c8bd97493cb443a210ec4CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: fa9ad876b8e0ebd2b4367ef1580f89be64ebd5d3 before 15754e4ec47ac5d117c9609c34a49ed6980ac4a1CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: fa9ad876b8e0ebd2b4367ef1580f89be64ebd5d3 before 4e93c65f87825e1e012bce56615320aeb123815dCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4.19CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 4.19CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.54 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.8 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 3