CVE-2023-46767
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in a kernel driver module that could allow attackers to cause process exceptions or potentially execute arbitrary code. It affects Huawei devices running HarmonyOS. Successful exploitation requires local access to the vulnerable system.
💻 Affected Systems
- Huawei devices with HarmonyOS kernel
📦 What is this software?
Emui by Huawei
Harmonyos by Huawei
Harmonyos by Huawei
Harmonyos by Huawei
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Local privilege escalation leading to full system compromise, arbitrary code execution at kernel level, or system crashes causing denial of service.
Likely Case
Process crashes leading to denial of service, potential information disclosure, or limited privilege escalation within the affected process context.
If Mitigated
Process isolation and proper access controls limit impact to the affected process only, preventing system-wide compromise.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and knowledge of kernel driver internals. No public exploit code has been identified.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: HarmonyOS security updates from November 2023
Vendor Advisory: https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/bulletin/2023/11/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for available system updates in device settings. 2. Apply the latest HarmonyOS security update. 3. Reboot the device to complete the patch installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict local access
allLimit physical and remote local access to affected devices to reduce attack surface
Disable unnecessary kernel modules
linuxIf possible, disable or remove the affected kernel driver module if not required for system operation
# Check if module is loaded: lsmod | grep [module_name]
# Remove module: rmmod [module_name]
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit who has local access to affected systems
- Monitor system logs for unusual process crashes or kernel panic events
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check HarmonyOS version in device settings > About phone > HarmonyOS version and compare against Huawei's security bulletinsCheck Version:
getprop ro.build.version.harmonyVerify Fix Applied:
Verify HarmonyOS version after update shows a version later than the vulnerable versions listed in Huawei's November 2023 security bulletins📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic logs
- Process crash dumps
- Unexpected system reboots
- Driver module loading errors
Network Indicators:
- No direct network indicators as this is a local vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "oops" OR "segfault") AND process="[affected_driver]"🔗 References
- https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/bulletin/2023/11/
- https://device.harmonyos.com/en/docs/security/update/security-bulletins-202311-0000001729189597
- https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/bulletin/2023/11/
- https://device.harmonyos.com/en/docs/security/update/security-bulletins-202311-0000001729189597
