CVE-2025-54643 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Huawei's HarmonyOS versions 3.1.0 and 4.0.0. The flaw is categorized as a CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read, which occurs due to insufficient data verification in the kernel's ambient light sensor module. Specifically, the kernel component responsible for handling ambient light data does not properly validate array indices before accessing them, leading to potential out-of-bounds reads. This type of vulnerability can cause the kernel to read memory outside the intended buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive information residing in adjacent memory spaces. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.6, reflecting a medium severity level with a vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), low integrity impact (I:L), and low availability impact (A:L). Exploitation requires local access and some privileges but no user interaction. While no known exploits are reported in the wild, the vulnerability could be leveraged by an attacker with local access and limited privileges to read sensitive kernel memory, potentially leaking confidential information. The impact is primarily on confidentiality, with minor effects on integrity and availability. The lack of patches at the time of publication suggests that affected organizations should prioritize mitigation and monitoring. This vulnerability highlights the risks associated with kernel-level drivers handling hardware sensor data without robust input validation, which can lead to memory safety issues and information disclosure.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-54643 centers on potential confidentiality breaches within devices running Huawei HarmonyOS, particularly those using affected versions 3.1.0 and 4.0.0. Since the vulnerability requires local access and low privileges, it poses a risk primarily in environments where devices may be physically accessible or where attackers can gain limited user-level access, such as in corporate mobile device fleets, IoT deployments, or edge computing nodes running HarmonyOS. Confidential data leakage from kernel memory could expose sensitive corporate information, user credentials, or cryptographic keys, undermining data privacy and compliance with regulations like GDPR. The limited integrity and availability impact reduces the risk of system disruption or data manipulation but does not eliminate the threat of espionage or data exfiltration. Given Huawei's market presence in telecommunications and consumer devices in Europe, organizations using HarmonyOS-powered devices in critical infrastructure, telecommunications, or enterprise settings could face targeted attacks exploiting this vulnerability. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not preclude future weaponization. Therefore, European entities must assess their exposure, especially in sectors with stringent data protection requirements and where Huawei devices are integrated into operational environments.

To mitigate CVE-2025-54643, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Inventory and identify all devices running Huawei HarmonyOS versions 3.1.0 and 4.0.0 within their environment to assess exposure. 2) Apply any available vendor patches or firmware updates promptly once released by Huawei, as no patches were available at the time of disclosure. 3) Restrict local access to devices by enforcing strong physical security controls and limiting user privileges to the minimum necessary, reducing the likelihood of local exploitation. 4) Monitor system logs and kernel events for unusual activity or memory access patterns that could indicate attempts to exploit kernel vulnerabilities. 5) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous kernel-level behavior or privilege escalation attempts on HarmonyOS devices. 6) For critical environments, consider isolating or segmenting HarmonyOS devices to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 7) Engage with Huawei support channels to obtain timely updates and guidance on vulnerability remediation. 8) Educate IT and security staff about the specific risks of kernel-level vulnerabilities and the importance of maintaining up-to-date device firmware and software. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on device-specific inventory, access control, monitoring, and vendor coordination.