A severe security vulnerability, designated as CVE-2024-48290, has been identified in Realtek’s Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) SDK, impacting version RTL8762E BLE SDK v1.4.0. This flaw enables attackers to carry out denial-of-service (DoS) attacks during the Secure Connections pairing process. This flaw stems from improper state validation in the Bluetooth protocol, where devices fail to verify the correct sequence of pairing packets. By injecting a Pairing Random packet before the necessary Pairing Public Key is exchanged, attackers force the device into an invalid state, terminating the pairing session and preventing future connections. This flaw can crash the target device’s Bluetooth stack, requiring a reboot to restore functionality. The vulnerability can be exploited over the air by attackers within a Bluetooth range of about 10 meters. It doesn’t require authentication or prior access, making it particularly dangerous for consumer electronics, medical devices, and IoT sensors using the affected SDK. Attackers can leverage tools such as l2ping or Bluetooth DoS (BDS) to automate packet flooding and quickly disable vulnerable devices. The impact is amplified due to the flexibility in targeting various device types, and the attack can be repeated indefinitely to maintain disruption. Notably, these tactics have demonstrated over 80% success rates in academic testing scenarios across different Bluetooth stacks. As of November 2024, Realtek has yet to release an official patch for the vulnerability. Security experts recommend disabling Bluetooth when not in use, isolating BLE devices via network segmentation, and monitoring for unusual connection attempts. This vulnerability underscores recurring design flaws in BLE stacks and the urgent need for manufacturers to strengthen state-machine validation and packet-sequencing mechanisms. Until a patch is released, end users and vendors are urged to apply mitigations and remain alert to future updates from Realtek or device manufacturers.
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