CVE-2025-20626 Overview
CVE-2025-20626 is a use-after-free vulnerability affecting OpenHarmony v5.0.2 and prior versions. A local attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution within pre-installed applications by exploiting the flaw. The issue is tracked under CWE-416 and requires local access with low privileges. According to the vendor advisory, exploitation is limited to restricted scenarios, which constrains the practical attack surface. The vulnerability was disclosed by the OpenAtom Foundation through its OpenHarmony security disclosure channel.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation grants arbitrary code execution inside pre-installed apps, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected device.
Affected Products
- OpenAtom OpenHarmony v5.0.2
- OpenAtom OpenHarmony prior versions to v5.0.2
- Devices and pre-installed applications built on the affected OpenHarmony releases
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-03-04 - CVE-2025-20626 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-20626
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a use-after-free condition [CWE-416] in OpenHarmony v5.0.2 and prior versions. A use-after-free occurs when a program continues to reference memory after that memory has been released back to the allocator. An attacker who controls the timing of the free and subsequent reuse can place attacker-controlled data into the reclaimed region. The dangling reference then operates on adversary-controlled data, leading to arbitrary code execution within the context of the pre-installed application. The vendor advisory notes that exploitation is only possible in restricted scenarios, indicating the trigger path is constrained by application state or platform configuration.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper lifetime management of a heap object within a pre-installed OpenHarmony application component. The affected code path releases an object while an active pointer or reference remains reachable. Later access dereferences freed memory, enabling controlled corruption of program state.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires local access with low privileges and no user interaction. The attacker triggers the vulnerable code path from a local process, races or manipulates allocator state to reoccupy the freed region, and then invokes the dangling reference to redirect execution. Refer to the OpenHarmony Security Disclosure for the vendor's technical description.
No verified proof-of-concept or public exploit code is available for this vulnerability. The vulnerability mechanism is described in prose above; consult the vendor advisory for component-level detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-20626
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes, segmentation faults, or abort signals originating from pre-installed OpenHarmony applications
- Anomalous child processes or shell invocations spawned by pre-installed app processes
- Unusual heap allocation patterns or memory access violations logged by the OpenHarmony runtime
Detection Strategies
- Monitor system logs (hilog) for repeated use-after-free crash signatures and SIGSEGV events tied to pre-installed apps
- Correlate local process activity with unexpected privilege boundary crossings inside application sandboxes
- Deploy runtime memory instrumentation such as ASan-enabled builds on test devices to surface the flaw before production impact
Monitoring Recommendations
- Track OpenHarmony device firmware versions against the fixed release and alert on unpatched inventory
- Audit installed application manifests and permissions on OpenHarmony devices at regular intervals
- Ingest device telemetry into a centralized log platform to identify clustered crashes across a fleet
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-20626
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all OpenHarmony devices running v5.0.2 or earlier across the environment
- Apply the vendor-supplied patch referenced in the OpenHarmony security disclosure
- Restrict local access to affected devices and remove untrusted local accounts where feasible
Patch Information
OpenAtom has published remediation guidance in the OpenHarmony Security Disclosure for March 2025. Update OpenHarmony to a version later than v5.0.2 that includes the fix for CVE-2025-20626.
Workarounds
- Limit installation and execution of untrusted local applications on affected devices
- Enforce least-privilege configuration for pre-installed application components
- Isolate affected devices on segmented networks until patches are applied
# Verify OpenHarmony version on affected device
hdc shell param get const.ohos.version.release
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
