CVE-2021-37006
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an Improper Preservation of Permissions vulnerability in Huawei smartphones running HarmonyOS. It allows unauthorized access to sensitive user data by bypassing permission controls. Users of affected Huawei devices are impacted.
💻 Affected Systems
- Huawei Smartphones
📦 What is this software?
Harmonyos by Huawei
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of user confidentiality including access to personal data, photos, messages, and authentication credentials stored on the device.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to specific protected data or system resources that should require user permission.
If Mitigated
Limited or no data exposure if proper security patches are applied and device permissions are properly configured.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation likely requires malicious app installation or physical access to the device. No public exploit code found in references.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: August 2021 HarmonyOS security update
Vendor Advisory: https://device.harmonyos.com/cn/docs/security/update/security-bulletins-202108-0000001180965965
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Navigate to Settings > System & updates > Software update on your Huawei device. 2. Check for available updates. 3. Install the August 2021 security update. 4. Restart device when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict app permissions
allReview and restrict unnecessary app permissions to limit potential attack surface
Disable unknown sources
allPrevent installation of apps from unknown sources to reduce risk of malicious apps
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected devices from sensitive networks and data
- Implement strict app installation policies and monitor for suspicious behavior
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check HarmonyOS version in Settings > About phone > HarmonyOS version. If version is prior to August 2021 security update, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
Settings > About phone > HarmonyOS version (no CLI command available)Verify Fix Applied:
Verify HarmonyOS version shows August 2021 security update or later in Settings > About phone > HarmonyOS version.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual permission access patterns
- Apps requesting permissions outside their normal scope
Network Indicators:
- Unusual data exfiltration from device
SIEM Query:
Not applicable - local device vulnerability