CVE-2025-54649 is a medium severity vulnerability identified in Huawei's HarmonyOS versions 5.0.1 and 5.1.0. It is classified under CWE-843, which corresponds to 'Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type,' commonly known as a type confusion vulnerability. This flaw exists within the location service component of HarmonyOS. The vulnerability arises when the system uses incompatible data types to access location-related resources, leading to incorrect handling or interpretation of location information attributes. Exploiting this vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require local access with low privileges, and the attack complexity is high, indicating that exploitation is not trivial. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.5, reflecting a medium severity level, with impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability rated as low. Specifically, successful exploitation may cause some location information attributes to be incorrect, potentially misleading applications or services relying on accurate location data. However, there is no indication of remote exploitability or widespread exploitation in the wild at this time. No patches or fixes have been linked yet, suggesting that affected users should monitor for updates from Huawei. The vulnerability's scope is limited to the affected HarmonyOS versions and the location service module, and it does not appear to allow privilege escalation or remote code execution.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-54649 is primarily related to the integrity and reliability of location data on devices running the affected HarmonyOS versions. Organizations relying on location-based services for logistics, asset tracking, or security monitoring could experience inaccuracies, potentially leading to operational inefficiencies or incorrect decision-making. Although the confidentiality and availability impacts are low, incorrect location data could indirectly affect services that depend on precise geolocation, such as emergency response, compliance with location-based regulations (e.g., GDPR data residency requirements), or location-based access controls. Given that exploitation requires local access with low privileges and high attack complexity, the risk of widespread exploitation in corporate environments is limited but not negligible, especially in scenarios where devices are physically accessible or compromised internally. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk, but organizations should remain vigilant. The impact is more pronounced for sectors with high reliance on location accuracy, such as transportation, logistics, and public safety agencies operating in Europe.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations using Huawei HarmonyOS devices should: 1) Monitor Huawei's official security advisories and promptly apply any patches or updates once available to address CVE-2025-54649. 2) Restrict physical and local access to devices running affected versions to trusted personnel only, minimizing the risk of local exploitation. 3) Implement strict device management policies, including the use of Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions that can enforce security configurations and monitor device integrity. 4) For critical applications relying on location data, implement validation and cross-verification mechanisms to detect anomalies or inconsistencies in location information. 5) Educate users and administrators about the risks of local exploitation and encourage reporting of suspicious device behavior. 6) Consider network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of devices with vulnerable HarmonyOS versions within corporate networks. 7) If feasible, evaluate the possibility of upgrading to newer HarmonyOS versions or alternative platforms not affected by this vulnerability.