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NVD / CVE Program· CNA GitHub_M

CVE-2021-21367: Incorrect Authorization in switchboard-plug-bluetooth

HighCVSS 8.1 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 32/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.63% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 51% of all records.
  • Someone on the same network segment can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: elementary switchboard-plug-bluetooth 2.3.5.
  • Severity is disputed: the assigning authority (CNA) scores it 6.1, NVD 8.1.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to elementary switchboard-plug-bluetooth 2.3.5 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

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).

Published
Mar 12, 2021
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
0.6% · 51th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

32

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
32 / 40 · 8.1 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.6%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
8.1
CNA · GitHub_M
6.1
2.0 point gap

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:L

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

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When you'll hear from us

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
elementaryswitchboard bluetooth plug
fedoraprojectfedora

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • elementary switchboard-plug-bluetooth

    • >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.5affected

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • elementary switchboard bluetooth plug2.3.0 and later · before 2.3.5
  • fedoraproject fedora32
  • fedoraproject fedora33

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
openSUSE:Tumbleweedswitchboard-plug-bluetoothbefore 8.0.1-1.18.0.1-1.1

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
elementary switchboard-plug-bluetooth2.3.5 · descriptionVendor (CNA)
opensuse:switchboard-plug-bluetooth8.0.1-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone on the same network segment can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
none
Attack vector
Adjacent
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-863 · Incorrect Authorization

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

References

Show all references (5 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records