CVE-2025-58302 is a permissions and access control vulnerability categorized under CWE-264, found in the Settings module of Huawei's HarmonyOS. The flaw allows an unauthenticated local attacker to bypass permission controls, resulting in unauthorized access to sensitive services and data. The vulnerability affects a broad range of HarmonyOS versions from 2.0.0 up to 4.3.1, indicating a long-standing issue across multiple releases. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.4 reflects its high severity, with vector metrics indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction needed (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality (C:H), integrity (I:H), and availability (A:H). This means an attacker with local access can fully compromise the device's core functions without needing to trick a user or have prior access rights. The vulnerability's root cause lies in improper enforcement of permission checks within the Settings module, which is critical for device configuration and security management. Exploiting this flaw could allow attackers to manipulate system settings, access confidential information, install malicious software, or disrupt device operations. Although no public exploits are reported yet, the ease of exploitation and potential impact make it a significant threat. The absence of patches at the time of disclosure necessitates urgent attention from Huawei and users. Given Huawei's market penetration in telecommunications and consumer devices, this vulnerability poses risks to environments where HarmonyOS devices are deployed, including enterprise and critical infrastructure sectors.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-58302 can be severe. Compromise of HarmonyOS devices could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive corporate or personal data, manipulation of device configurations, and disruption of services relying on these devices. Telecommunications providers using Huawei equipment may face network instability or breaches, affecting service availability and customer trust. Enterprises deploying HarmonyOS-based devices for internal operations risk infiltration and lateral movement by attackers exploiting this vulnerability. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts could result in data breaches, operational downtime, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, transportation, and government agencies, where Huawei devices are present. The lack of required privileges and user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing the threat landscape. Overall, the vulnerability could undermine organizational security postures and lead to significant financial and reputational damage.

Immediate mitigation steps include restricting physical and local access to HarmonyOS devices to trusted personnel only, as exploitation requires local access. Organizations should implement strict device usage policies and monitor for unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts. Huawei should prioritize developing and releasing security patches addressing the permission control flaw in the Settings module. Once patches are available, organizations must deploy them promptly across all affected devices. In parallel, network segmentation can limit the impact of compromised devices by isolating them from critical systems. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring HarmonyOS devices may help detect exploitation attempts early. Security teams should conduct audits of device configurations and permissions to identify potential misconfigurations that could exacerbate the vulnerability. User education on the risks of unauthorized device access and the importance of timely updates is also critical. Finally, organizations should engage with Huawei and relevant cybersecurity authorities to stay informed about updates and advisories related to this vulnerability.