CVE-2025-22851
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code in pre-installed apps on OpenHarmony devices through an integer overflow. It affects OpenHarmony v5.0.2 and earlier versions. Attackers need local access to exploit this vulnerability.
💻 Affected Systems
- OpenHarmony
📦 What is this software?
Openharmony by Openatom
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of pre-installed applications leading to privilege escalation, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation on the device.
Likely Case
Local attacker gains elevated privileges within pre-installed apps, potentially accessing sensitive app data or performing unauthorized actions.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper app sandboxing and privilege separation, though some app functionality could still be compromised.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and understanding of OpenHarmony's app architecture. Integer overflow exploitation typically requires specific conditions to be met.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: OpenHarmony v5.0.3 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://gitee.com/openharmony/security/blob/master/zh/security-disclosure/2025/2025-04.md
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check current OpenHarmony version. 2. Update to v5.0.3 or later via official update channels. 3. Reboot device after update completes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict local app installation
allPrevent installation of untrusted applications that could exploit this vulnerability locally
Disable unnecessary pre-installed apps
allReduce attack surface by disabling pre-installed apps that are not needed
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict app sandboxing and privilege separation
- Monitor for unusual behavior in pre-installed applications
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check OpenHarmony version: Settings > About Phone > Version. If version is 5.0.2 or earlier, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
getprop ro.build.version.ohosVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 5.0.3 or later after applying update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process creation from pre-installed apps
- Integer overflow exceptions in system logs
- Privilege escalation attempts
Network Indicators:
- None - local-only vulnerability
SIEM Query:
process.name:pre_installed_app* AND event.action:execute AND result:success