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Fencer Intel
medium 6.1

CVE-2021-21367 json

Incorrect Authorization in switchboard-plug-bluetooth

published 5y ago modified 4mo ago also EUVD-2021-8680

cvss
6.1
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
0.6%
EPSS 0.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 50%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

Switchboard Bluetooth Plug for elementary OS from version 2.3.0 and before version version 2.3.5 has an incorrect authorization vulnerability. When the Bluetooth plug is running (in discoverable mode), Bluetooth service requests and pairing requests are automatically accepted, allowing physically proximate attackers to pair with a device running an affected version of switchboard-plug-bluetooth without the active consent of the user. By default, elementary OS doesn't expose any services via Bluetooth that allow information to be extracted by paired Bluetooth devices. However, if such services (i.e. contact list sharing software) have been installed, it's possible that attackers have been able to extract data from such services without authorization. If no such services have been installed, attackers are only able to pair with a device running an affected version without authorization and then play audio out of the device or possibly present a HID device (keyboard, mouse, etc...) to control the device. As such, users should check the list of trusted/paired devices and remove any that are not 100% confirmed to be genuine. This is fixed in version 2.3.5. To reduce the likelihood of this vulnerability on an unpatched version, only open the Bluetooth plug for short intervals when absolutely necessary and preferably not in crowded public areas. To mitigate the risk entirely with unpatched versions, do not open the Bluetooth plug within switchboard at all, and use a different method for pairing devices if necessary (e.g. `bluetoothctl` CLI).

Patch / fix

  • elementary switchboard_bluetooth_plug 2.3.5
  • switchboard-plug-bluetooth openSUSE Tumbleweed 8.0.1-1.1

opensuse advisories openSUSE-SU-2024:14486-1

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Exploit prediction

0.64% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 50% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 6.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:L
NVD 3.1 8.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
NVD 2.0 4.3 AV:A/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N

Affected products

  • elementary switchboard-plug-bluetooth

Classification

Weakness

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.