CVE-2025-68965 is a permission control vulnerability classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) affecting the Notepad module of Huawei's HarmonyOS versions 5.0.1, 5.1.0, and 6.0.0. The vulnerability arises from improper permission enforcement, allowing unauthorized local users to access sensitive data stored or processed by the Notepad application. According to the CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), exploitation requires local access (e.g., physical or local network), high attack complexity, no privileges, and user interaction, but results in a high impact on confidentiality. The vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability. No public exploits or patches are currently available, indicating the vulnerability is newly disclosed and not yet actively exploited. The Notepad module typically stores user notes and potentially sensitive information, so unauthorized access could lead to leakage of confidential data. The vulnerability's local and user interaction requirements limit its scope but still pose a risk in environments where devices are shared or exposed to untrusted users. The flaw highlights the need for strict permission controls in mobile OS modules handling personal data.

For European organizations, especially those using Huawei devices running affected HarmonyOS versions, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive notes or personal data, impacting confidentiality. This is particularly critical for sectors handling sensitive or regulated data such as finance, healthcare, and government. Although exploitation requires local access and user interaction, insider threats or physical device theft could enable attackers to leverage this flaw. The exposure of sensitive information could result in privacy violations, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR), reputational damage, and potential financial losses. Since the vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability, the primary concern remains data confidentiality. Organizations with mobile workforces or shared device environments are at increased risk. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate future risk once exploit code becomes available.

1. Monitor Huawei’s official security advisories and apply patches promptly once released for the affected HarmonyOS versions. 2. Restrict physical and local network access to devices running HarmonyOS, especially in sensitive environments. 3. Implement strong device access controls such as biometric or PIN authentication to reduce unauthorized local access. 4. Educate users about the risks of social engineering or phishing that could trigger the required user interaction for exploitation. 5. Employ mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies and monitor device usage. 6. Regularly audit and limit permissions granted to applications, particularly those handling sensitive data like Notepad. 7. Consider isolating or encrypting sensitive notes or data stored on devices to reduce impact if accessed. 8. Prepare incident response plans for potential data exposure scenarios involving mobile devices. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on local access restrictions, user education, and device management tailored to this vulnerability’s characteristics.