CVE-2024-58252 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Huawei's HarmonyOS version 5.0.0, specifically within the media library module. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which pertains to the exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors due to insufficient information protection mechanisms. The technical root cause lies in the media library's failure to adequately safeguard sensitive data, potentially allowing unauthorized local users to access confidential information. According to the CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), the attack vector is local, requiring no privileges and no user interaction, which means an attacker with local access to the device can exploit this vulnerability with low complexity. The impact is limited to confidentiality, with no effect on integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was reserved on April 25, 2025, and published on May 6, 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. Given the nature of HarmonyOS as an operating system primarily deployed on Huawei devices such as smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices, this vulnerability could expose sensitive media-related information stored or processed by the device's media library module to unauthorized local actors.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-58252 depends largely on the presence and usage of Huawei HarmonyOS devices within their environment. Organizations that deploy Huawei devices running HarmonyOS 5.0.0, especially in sensitive roles or handling confidential media data, could face risks of unauthorized data disclosure. This could lead to leakage of sensitive corporate or personal information, undermining confidentiality and potentially violating data protection regulations such as the GDPR. The local attack vector implies that attackers need physical or local access to the device, which limits remote exploitation but raises concerns for environments where devices might be shared, lost, or accessed by unauthorized personnel. The lack of integrity or availability impact reduces the risk of operational disruption but does not diminish the seriousness of confidential data exposure. Given the increasing use of Huawei devices in some European markets, particularly in consumer and some enterprise segments, organizations should assess their device inventory and data sensitivity to evaluate exposure.

To mitigate CVE-2024-58252 effectively, European organizations should: 1) Conduct an inventory audit to identify all Huawei devices running HarmonyOS 5.0.0 within their environment. 2) Restrict physical and local access to these devices, enforcing strong device access controls such as biometric locks, PINs, or passwords to prevent unauthorized local exploitation. 3) Monitor for updates from Huawei and apply security patches promptly once available, as no patch is currently linked. 4) Implement data encryption for sensitive media stored on devices to add an additional layer of protection beyond the OS media library. 5) Educate users on the risks of leaving devices unattended or lending them to untrusted parties. 6) Where possible, consider device replacement or OS upgrades to versions not affected by this vulnerability. 7) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools that can detect suspicious local access attempts or anomalous behavior related to media files. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, encryption, and proactive device management tailored to the vulnerability's local attack vector and confidentiality impact.