ZDF
Sign inSign up

Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2023-54038

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: hci_conn: return ERR_PTR instead of NULL when there is no link hci_connect_sco currently returns NULL

Published Dec 24, 2025 · catalog updated May 23, 2026 · Linux Linux

Last checked Nov 1, 2026. A connected source was read within the last 7 days.

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2023-54038. EPSS is 0.18%. Act only if a listed version of Linux Linux is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.

Same product and reporting

Severity
None0.0
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.18%
Remediation
Vendor / distro source
Affected products
vendor Linux Linux patch: 0

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: hci_conn: return ERR_PTR instead of NULL when there is no link hci_connect_sco currently returns NULL when there is no link (i.e. when hci_conn_link() returns NULL). sco_connect() expects an ERR_PTR in case of any error (see line 266 in sco.c). Thus, hcon set as NULL passes through to sco_conn_add(), which tries to get hcon->hdev, resulting in dereferencing a NULL pointer as reported by syzkaller. The same issue exists for iso_connect_cis() calling hci_connect_cis(). Thus, make hci_connect_sco() and hci_connect_cis(

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • vendor Linux Linux patch: 0patch: 0

How to fix CVE-2023-54038

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2023-54038. EPSS is 0.18%. Act only if a listed version of Linux Linux is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with Linux Linux patch: 0 patch: 0. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

No weakness class is stored. EPSS 0.18%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Dec 24, 2025 · EUVD

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: hci_conn: return ERR_PTR instead of NULL when there is no link hci_connect_sco currently returns NULL when there is no link (i.e. when hci_conn_link() returns NULL). sco_connect() expects an ERR_PTR in case of any error (see line 266 in sco.c). Thus, hcon set as NULL passes through to sco_conn_add(), which tries to get

  2. May 23, 2026 · EUVD

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: hci_conn: return ERR_PTR instead of NULL when there is no link hci_connect_sco currently returns NULL when there is no link (i.e. when hci_conn_link() returns NULL). sco_connect() expects an ERR_PTR in case of any error (see line 266 in sco.c). Thus, hcon set as NULL passes through to sco_conn_add(), which tries to get

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2023-54038

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2023-54038

    30-day exploitation probability 0.18%

    first.org
  • EUVDVulnerability recordEUVD-2025-205124

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Bluetooth: hci_conn: return ERR_PTR instead of NULL when there is no link hci_connect_sco currently returns NULL when there is no link (i.e. when hci_conn_link() returns NULL). sco_connect() expects an ERR_PTR in

    euvd.enisa.europa.eu

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Nov 1, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.

  • FIRST EPSSNov 1, 2026
  • CVE.orgOct 29, 2026
  • EUVDOct 29, 2026