CVE-2023-51592
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in BlueZ's AVRCP protocol allows network-adjacent attackers to read sensitive information from memory via Bluetooth when a user connects to a malicious device. The flaw exists due to improper bounds checking when parsing media folder data, potentially leading to information disclosure. Affected systems are those running vulnerable versions of BlueZ with Bluetooth enabled.
💻 Affected Systems
- BlueZ
📦 What is this software?
Bluez by Bluez
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Information disclosure combined with other vulnerabilities could lead to arbitrary code execution with root privileges.
Likely Case
Information disclosure of sensitive memory contents to a network-adjacent attacker via Bluetooth.
If Mitigated
Limited information disclosure if Bluetooth is disabled or proper network segmentation is in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires user interaction (connecting to malicious device) and network adjacency. Combined with other vulnerabilities for code execution.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Check your Linux distribution's security updates for BlueZ patches
Vendor Advisory: https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-23-1905/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update BlueZ package via your distribution's package manager. 2. Restart Bluetooth service or reboot system. 3. Verify the update was applied.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Bluetooth
linuxCompletely disable Bluetooth to prevent exploitation
sudo systemctl stop bluetooth
sudo systemctl disable bluetooth
Disable AVRCP Profile
linuxDisable the vulnerable AVRCP profile while keeping Bluetooth functional
Modify /etc/bluetooth/main.conf to remove or comment AVRCP support
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable Bluetooth completely on affected systems
- Implement strict Bluetooth device pairing policies and only allow trusted devices
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check BlueZ version: bluetoothctl --version or dpkg -l | grep bluezCheck Version:
bluetoothctl --versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify BlueZ version is updated and check for CVE-2023-51592 in vulnerability scans📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual Bluetooth connection attempts
- AVRCP protocol errors in Bluetooth logs
Network Indicators:
- Suspicious Bluetooth device connections
- AVRCP traffic from unknown devices
SIEM Query:
source="bluetooth" AND (event="connection" OR event="avrcp") AND device_name="*malicious*"