CVE-2021-21367

    Dashboard / Vulnerabilities / CVE-2021-21367

    CVE-2021-21367

    Published: 12 Mar 2021Last Modified: 27 Aug 2026

    Summary:

    Details: 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).

    References: https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/AV7WKO5SZHTF3QEMX4WZ576HRECIG6VQ/, https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/O7TCGM4B45VLUJDCE5PHFYA5KBNHD4RA/, https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/SWUPPVFG76PXQA3AHSGKYPRMVZ5AYHZI/, https://github.com/elementary/switchboard-plug-bluetooth/releases/tag/2.3.5, https://github.com/elementary/switchboard-plug-bluetooth/commit/86500e645a907538abafe5225b67cc12c03e7645, https://github.com/elementary/switchboard-plug-bluetooth/security/advisories/GHSA-5p3g-j69g-w2mq

    Affected packages

    Package

    Name:

    Purl:

    Affected ranges

    Type: GIT

    Events:

    Introduced- 8730811a54f9f6805464609d97053ca3c0944c8e
    Fixed -53cc071a3e0fca4f130dd844e6fa6dee99dd9574

    Affected versions

    2.3.4-debian
    2.3.3-debian
    2.3.2-debian
    2.3.1-debian
    2.3.0-debian

    Common Vulnerability Scoring System

    Attack Vector
    Network
    Adjacent
    Local
    Physical
    Privileges Required
    None
    Low
    High
    User Interaction
    None
    Required
    Scope
    Unchanged
    Changed
    Confidentiality
    None
    Low
    High
    Integrity
    None
    Low
    High
    Availability
    None
    Low
    High
    CVE-2021-21367 | CVE-DB