CVE-2025-54612 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Huawei's HarmonyOS version 5.1.0, specifically within the card management module. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-664, which pertains to improper control of a resource through its lifetime. Technically, this manifests as an iterator failure, indicating that the system does not correctly manage the lifecycle or state of an iterator object used in the card management functionality. This improper handling can lead to instability in the affected functions, potentially causing unexpected behavior or crashes. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9 reflects a medium severity level, with the vector indicating that exploitation requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited extent (C:L/I:L/A:L). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability's root cause lies in resource management errors, which can lead to use-after-free or dangling pointer conditions, common in iterator misuse scenarios. Such flaws can be leveraged by attackers with local access to disrupt system stability or potentially escalate privileges if combined with other vulnerabilities.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-54612 primarily concerns devices running Huawei HarmonyOS 5.1.0, particularly those utilizing the card management module. The instability caused by the iterator failure could lead to service disruptions or degraded performance in critical applications relying on HarmonyOS devices, such as IoT endpoints, mobile devices, or embedded systems. Confidentiality and integrity impacts are limited but present, meaning sensitive data handled by the card management module could be at risk if the vulnerability is exploited in conjunction with other attack vectors. Availability impact is also limited but could affect operational continuity if critical functions become unstable. Organizations in sectors like telecommunications, manufacturing, or smart infrastructure that deploy HarmonyOS-based devices may face operational risks. Given the local access requirement, the threat is more relevant to insider threats or attackers who have already gained some foothold within the network. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the need for vigilance and proactive mitigation.

European organizations should implement a layered approach to mitigate this vulnerability effectively. First, they should inventory all devices running Huawei HarmonyOS 5.1.0 and assess their exposure, especially those using the card management module. Since no official patch is currently available, organizations should monitor Huawei's security advisories closely for updates or patches. In the interim, restricting local access to trusted users and enforcing strict access controls can reduce exploitation risk. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for abnormal behavior related to iterator misuse or card management anomalies is advisable. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security audits and penetration tests focusing on local privilege escalation and resource management vulnerabilities. Network segmentation can limit the spread of potential exploitation. Finally, educating users and administrators about the risks of local exploitation and maintaining robust incident response plans will enhance resilience against this vulnerability.