CVE-2025-53470
📋 TL;DR
An out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Apache NimBLE's HCI H4 driver allows a malicious or malfunctioning Bluetooth controller to trigger invalid memory reads. This affects all Apache NimBLE versions through 1.8. The vulnerability requires a compromised Bluetooth controller, limiting its practical impact.
💻 Affected Systems
- Apache NimBLE
📦 What is this software?
Nimble by Apache
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Information disclosure or denial of service through memory corruption, potentially leading to system instability or crashes.
Likely Case
Limited information disclosure or minor system instability when interacting with a malicious Bluetooth controller.
If Mitigated
No impact with proper Bluetooth controller security and network segmentation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires a specially crafted Bluetooth controller, which is not commonly available to attackers.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.9
Vendor Advisory: https://lists.apache.org/thread/32sm0944dyod4sdql77stgyw9xb2msc0
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download Apache NimBLE version 1.9 or later from the official repository. 2. Replace the vulnerable NimBLE installation with the patched version. 3. Restart any services or devices using NimBLE.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Bluetooth or restrict controller access
linuxDisable Bluetooth functionality or restrict physical access to Bluetooth controllers to prevent malicious devices from connecting.
systemctl disable bluetooth
hciconfig hci0 down
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable Bluetooth functionality entirely on affected systems.
- Implement network segmentation to isolate Bluetooth devices from critical systems.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the NimBLE version; if it's 1.8 or earlier, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check the NimBLE source code or build configuration for version information; specific command depends on implementation.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify the installed NimBLE version is 1.9 or later.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual Bluetooth controller disconnections or errors in system logs related to HCI/H4 driver.
Network Indicators:
- Anomalous Bluetooth traffic patterns from unknown or suspicious devices.
SIEM Query:
Search for logs containing 'NimBLE', 'HCI error', or 'out-of-bounds' in Bluetooth-related services.