---
id: CVE-2022-26878
title: >-
  drivers/bluetooth/virtio_bt.c in the Linux kernel before 5.16.3 has a memory
  leak (socket buffers have memory allocated but not freed).
summary: >-
  drivers/bluetooth/virtio_bt.c in the Linux kernel before 5.16.3 has a memory
  leak (socket buffers have memory allocated but not freed).
severity: medium
cvss: 5.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-401
vendor: linux
product: linux_kernel
affected:
  - 'linux_kernel >= 5.13, < 5.15.17'
  - 'linux_kernel >= 5.16, < 5.16.3'
patched:
  - linux_kernel 5.16.3
published: '2022-03-11'
updated: '2026-10-08'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-08T22:17:19.880'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-26878'
references:
  - url: 'http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/03/11/1'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.15.17'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.16.3'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=1d0688421449718c6c5f46e458a378c9b530ba18
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: >-
      https://lore.kernel.org/linux-bluetooth/1A203F5E-FB5E-430C-BEA3-86B191D69D58%40holtmann.org/
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/03/11/1'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.15.17'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.16.3'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=1d0688421449718c6c5f46e458a378c9b530ba18
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://lore.kernel.org/linux-bluetooth/1A203F5E-FB5E-430C-BEA3-86B191D69D58%40holtmann.org/
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00333
epssPercentile: 0.24458
ingestedAt: '2026-10-08T23:16:47.335Z'
---

## Overview

drivers/bluetooth/virtio_bt.c in the Linux kernel before 5.16.3 has a memory leak (socket buffers have memory allocated but not freed).

## Affected

- `linux_kernel >= 5.13, < 5.15.17`
- `linux_kernel >= 5.16, < 5.16.3`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `linux_kernel 5.16.3`