CVE-2022-38977 is a heap overflow vulnerability identified in the HwAirlink module of Huawei's HarmonyOS versions 2.0 and 2.1. The vulnerability arises due to improper handling of memory allocations in the HwAirlink component, which leads to out-of-bounds writes on the heap. This type of vulnerability, classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), can allow an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially modifying sensitive data or corrupting program state. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable (Attack Vector: Network) without requiring any privileges or user interaction, making it particularly dangerous. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5 (High severity), reflecting the ease of exploitation and the significant impact on integrity, though confidentiality and availability impacts are not indicated. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to alter sensitive data within the affected system, potentially leading to unauthorized control or manipulation of system behavior. No known exploits in the wild have been reported to date, and no official patches have been linked, which suggests that organizations using these versions of HarmonyOS should prioritize mitigation and monitoring. Given the nature of the vulnerability, it is likely to affect devices running HarmonyOS that utilize the HwAirlink module, which is related to wireless communication features within the OS.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability depends largely on the deployment of Huawei devices running HarmonyOS 2.0 or 2.1 within their infrastructure or supply chain. The vulnerability could compromise the integrity of sensitive data on affected devices, potentially leading to unauthorized data manipulation or system behavior changes. This is particularly concerning for sectors relying on Huawei IoT devices, smart devices, or telecommunications equipment running HarmonyOS, such as manufacturing, critical infrastructure, and telecommunications providers. Although the vulnerability does not directly impact confidentiality or availability, the integrity compromise could facilitate further attacks or data corruption. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the risk of widespread exploitation if attackers develop reliable exploit code. European organizations using Huawei HarmonyOS devices should be aware of this risk, especially in environments where device integrity is critical for operational security and compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR.

1. Immediate inventory and identification of all Huawei devices running HarmonyOS 2.0 or 2.1 within the organization, focusing on those utilizing the HwAirlink module. 2. Monitor Huawei’s official security advisories and apply patches or firmware updates as soon as they become available, as no patches are currently linked. 3. Implement network segmentation and strict access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable devices to untrusted networks, reducing the attack surface. 4. Employ intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures or heuristics capable of detecting anomalous behavior related to heap overflow exploitation attempts targeting HwAirlink. 5. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on IoT and mobile devices to identify potential exploitation attempts. 6. Engage with Huawei support channels to request timelines for patch releases and additional mitigation guidance. 7. Where possible, consider temporary disabling or restricting HwAirlink functionalities if they are not critical to operations, to reduce risk until patches are available.