CVE-2026-24920 Overview
CVE-2026-24920 is a permission control vulnerability in the Activity Manager Service (AMS) module of Huawei EMUI and HarmonyOS. The flaw allows a local, low-privileged attacker to affect device availability without requiring user interaction. Huawei disclosed the issue in its February 2026 security bulletin.
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-264: Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls. Exploitation impacts only availability, with no confidentiality or integrity consequences. The attack vector is limited to local access on the affected device.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation enables a local attacker with low privileges to trigger high availability impact on EMUI 14.2.0, EMUI 15.0.0, and HarmonyOS 4.2.0 through 4.3.1 devices.
Affected Products
- Huawei EMUI 14.2.0 and 15.0.0
- Huawei HarmonyOS 4.2.0, 4.3.0, and 4.3.1
- Devices using the affected AMS module versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-02-06 - CVE-2026-24920 published to NVD
- 2026-02-09 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-24920
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the Activity Manager Service (AMS) module, a core Android-derived component responsible for managing application lifecycle, process scheduling, and inter-process communication. The AMS module enforces permission checks before granting access to sensitive operations involving activities, services, and broadcasts.
Improper permission control within the AMS module allows a local application to perform actions that should be restricted. The result is a denial of service condition that affects device availability. The flaw maps to CWE-264: Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls.
Exploitation requires local access and low privileges, such as those granted to an installed third-party application. No user interaction is required. The EPSS probability for active exploitation is currently low.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or incorrect permission validation in the AMS module's request handling logic. The module fails to properly verify the caller's privileges before processing certain operations. This omission permits unauthorized actions that disrupt service availability.
Attack Vector
An attacker must first obtain local code execution on the device, typically by convincing a user to install a malicious application. The malicious app then issues crafted requests to the AMS module from a low-privileged context. These requests trigger the unchecked code path and cause an availability impact on the device or specific system services.
No public proof-of-concept code or exploit is available at this time. Huawei has not released technical exploitation details in its advisory.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24920
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected system service crashes or restarts on EMUI and HarmonyOS devices running the affected versions
- Repeated abnormal termination of activities or services managed by the AMS module
- Applications making unusual or high-frequency calls into Activity Manager interfaces from non-privileged contexts
Detection Strategies
- Review installed application inventories on managed devices for unsigned or untrusted packages that target AMS interfaces
- Monitor mobile device management (MDM) telemetry for repeated device reboots or system process failures
- Correlate Huawei security patch level reporting with device fleet inventories to identify unpatched endpoints
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enroll affected devices in an MDM solution and enforce minimum patch level policies aligned with the February 2026 Huawei security bulletin
- Audit third-party application installations and restrict sideloading on managed devices
- Track Huawei bulletin updates for any revisions to the CVE-2026-24920 advisory
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24920
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the security update referenced in the Huawei Security Bulletin 2026 to all affected EMUI and HarmonyOS devices
- Identify devices running EMUI 14.2.0, EMUI 15.0.0, or HarmonyOS 4.2.0 through 4.3.1 and prioritize them for patching
- Restrict installation of unverified applications on corporate-managed devices
Patch Information
Huawei addressed CVE-2026-24920 in its February 2026 security bulletin. Refer to the Huawei Security Bulletin 2026 and the Huawei Bulletin Vision 2026 for the corresponding patch levels and device-specific update guidance. Apply the update through the standard Huawei system update channel.
Workarounds
- Limit application installation to vetted sources such as the official Huawei AppGallery
- Apply MDM policies that block sideloading and require approved application catalogs
- Monitor device health telemetry and remove suspicious applications pending patch deployment
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
