CVE-2021-37053
📋 TL;DR
A service logic vulnerability in Huawei smartphones allows attackers to cause denial of service on WLAN functionality. This affects Huawei devices running HarmonyOS or EMUI. Successful exploitation disrupts wireless network connectivity on affected devices.
💻 Affected Systems
- Huawei smartphones
📦 What is this software?
Emui by Huawei
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
Magic Ui by Huawei
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete WLAN service disruption requiring device restart, potentially affecting critical communications and device functionality.
Likely Case
Temporary WLAN connectivity loss requiring user intervention to restore network access.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper network segmentation and updated devices.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending specially crafted packets to the device's WLAN interface. No public exploit code available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: HarmonyOS 2.0.0.230 and later, EMUI security patches September/October 2021
Vendor Advisory: https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/bulletin/2021/9/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for system updates in device Settings. 2. Install available security updates. 3. Restart device after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable WLAN when not in use
allTurn off wireless networking to prevent exploitation
Use wired connections
allConnect via USB tethering or Ethernet adapter instead of WLAN
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment wireless networks to limit exposure
- Monitor for unusual WLAN disconnection patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check device OS version in Settings > About phone > HarmonyOS/EMUI versionCheck Version:
Not applicable - check via device Settings GUIVerify Fix Applied:
Verify OS version is HarmonyOS 2.0.0.230+ or check security patch level is September 2021 or later📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected WLAN service crashes
- Frequent WLAN disconnections
Network Indicators:
- Unusual broadcast/multicast packets targeting WLAN interfaces
SIEM Query:
Not provided - monitor for WLAN service anomalies🔗 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
