CVE-2025-54646 is a medium severity vulnerability identified in Huawei's HarmonyOS, specifically affecting the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module across multiple versions ranging from 2.0.0 to 5.1.0. The root cause of this vulnerability is an improper handling of length parameter inconsistencies during packet processing, classified under CWE-130 (Improper Handling of Length Parameter). Essentially, the BLE module does not adequately verify the length of incoming packets, which can lead to buffer overflows or memory corruption scenarios. While the CVSS vector indicates that the attack requires local access (AV:L), no privileges (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N), the impact primarily affects the integrity and availability of the system. Exploitation could degrade system performance or potentially cause denial of service conditions by crashing or destabilizing the BLE stack. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality, and no known exploits are currently reported in the wild. Given the widespread use of HarmonyOS in Huawei devices, including smartphones, IoT devices, and embedded systems, this vulnerability could be leveraged by an attacker with local access to disrupt Bluetooth communications or device stability. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation and monitoring.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-54646 could be significant, especially those relying on Huawei HarmonyOS-powered devices for critical communications or IoT infrastructure. The BLE module is commonly used for device pairing, data exchange, and sensor connectivity. A successful exploit could lead to degraded device performance or denial of service, potentially interrupting business operations that depend on Bluetooth connectivity. This is particularly relevant for sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, and smart city deployments where IoT devices are prevalent. Additionally, organizations using Huawei smartphones or tablets for secure communications might face interruptions or reduced device reliability. Although the vulnerability requires local access, insider threats or compromised devices within a corporate network could exploit this flaw. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the medium severity rating and potential for availability impact necessitate proactive measures.

Given the absence of official patches at the time of analysis, European organizations should implement several targeted mitigations: 1) Restrict physical and local network access to devices running vulnerable versions of HarmonyOS to trusted personnel only, minimizing the risk of local exploitation. 2) Monitor Bluetooth activity logs and device performance metrics for anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected crashes or degraded BLE functionality. 3) Where possible, disable BLE functionality on devices that do not require it, reducing the attack surface. 4) Engage with Huawei support channels to obtain timely updates or patches as they become available and prioritize their deployment. 5) Implement network segmentation to isolate IoT and mobile devices running HarmonyOS from critical infrastructure, limiting potential lateral movement. 6) Educate staff on the risks associated with local device access and enforce strict device usage policies. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, monitoring, and network architecture adjustments tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.