CVE-2021-37051
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Huawei smartphones that could allow attackers to read memory beyond allocated boundaries. Successful exploitation may lead to information disclosure or system crashes. Affected users include those with vulnerable Huawei smartphone models running specific HarmonyOS versions.
💻 Affected Systems
- Huawei smartphones
📦 What is this software?
Emui by Huawei
Emui by Huawei
Emui by Huawei
Emui by Huawei
Emui by Huawei
Harmonyos by Huawei
Magic Ui by Huawei
Magic Ui by Huawei
Magic Ui by Huawei
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete device compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Application crashes, denial of service, or limited information disclosure from adjacent memory regions.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched; otherwise, crashes or limited information leaks if exploit attempts are detected and blocked.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation likely requires user interaction (e.g., installing malicious app) or local access; no public exploits known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: HarmonyOS security updates from September 2021 onward
Vendor Advisory: https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/bulletin/2021/9/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for updates in Settings > System & updates > Software update. 2. Install available security updates. 3. Restart device if prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict app installations
allOnly install apps from trusted sources like Huawei AppGallery to reduce risk of malicious exploitation.
Enable security features
allEnsure device security settings like app verification and unknown source blocking are enabled.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate device from untrusted networks and limit app installations to essential, verified apps only.
- Monitor for unusual device behavior or crashes that might indicate exploitation attempts.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check HarmonyOS version in Settings > About phone > HarmonyOS version; compare with patched versions in Huawei advisories.Check Version:
Not applicable via command line; use device settings as above.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify installed security update date is September 2021 or later in Settings > System & updates > Software update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes related to memory access errors
- Security event logs indicating exploit attempts
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic from device to suspicious IPs if exploited
SIEM Query:
Not typically applicable for mobile devices; monitor for crash reports or security alerts from mobile device management (MDM) solutions.🔗 References
- https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/bulletin/2021/9/
- https://device.harmonyos.com/en/docs/security/update/security-bulletins-202109-0000001196270727
- https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/bulletin/2021/10/
- https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/bulletin/2021/9/
- https://device.harmonyos.com/en/docs/security/update/security-bulletins-202109-0000001196270727
