CVE-2026-28751 Overview
CVE-2026-28751 is a denial of service vulnerability affecting OpenHarmony v6.0 and prior versions. The flaw stems from improper input validation [CWE-20] in the operating system. A local attacker with low privileges can trigger the condition to cause a denial of service against the affected component. No user interaction is required, and the impact is limited to availability, with no effect on confidentiality or integrity.
Critical Impact
Local low-privileged attackers can cause a denial of service on OpenHarmony v6.0 and earlier devices through improper input validation.
Affected Products
- OpenHarmony v6.0
- OpenHarmony versions prior to v6.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-19 - CVE CVE-2026-28751 published to NVD
- 2026-05-19 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-28751
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-28751 is classified as an improper input validation issue [CWE-20] within OpenHarmony v6.0 and earlier releases. The vulnerability allows a local attacker holding low-level privileges to disrupt availability of the affected component. The attack does not require user interaction and runs entirely within the local attack surface. Successful exploitation results in a denial of service condition while leaving confidentiality and integrity unaffected.
The issue is local in nature, meaning an attacker must already have code execution or shell access on the device. This constraint narrows the realistic threat to malicious applications, compromised user accounts, or insider threats on OpenHarmony-based devices.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper validation of input data accepted by an OpenHarmony component. When the affected code path receives malformed or unexpected input, it fails to sanitize or bound-check the value, producing an unrecoverable error state. The OpenHarmony security disclosure for April 2026 documents this class of input handling deficiency in the platform.
Attack Vector
An attacker with local access and low privileges sends crafted input to the vulnerable interface. The unvalidated input drives the component into an error condition that terminates service or destabilizes the affected process. See the OpenHarmony Security Disclosure 2026 for technical details on the affected code path.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-28751
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes or restarts of OpenHarmony system services on affected devices.
- Application or system log entries showing abnormal termination of the vulnerable component.
- Repeated invocation of the affected interface by a low-privileged local process.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor system service stability on OpenHarmony v6.0 and prior devices for anomalous restart patterns.
- Correlate local process activity with service crash events to identify potential exploitation attempts.
- Review installed third-party applications for unauthorized access to sensitive system interfaces.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Collect and centralize OpenHarmony device logs for analysis of crash and recovery events.
- Alert on repeated denial of service conditions affecting the same component across one or more devices.
- Track installation of new local applications that interact with the affected subsystem.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-28751
Immediate Actions Required
- Inventory all OpenHarmony devices and identify systems running v6.0 or earlier.
- Restrict installation of untrusted third-party applications on affected devices.
- Apply vendor-supplied patches referenced in the OpenHarmony April 2026 security disclosure once available.
Patch Information
Refer to the OpenHarmony Security Disclosure 2026 for patch details and version-specific guidance from the OpenHarmony project.
Workarounds
- Limit local access on OpenHarmony devices to trusted users and applications only.
- Enforce least-privilege principles for local accounts and applications interacting with system services.
- Disable or restrict access to non-essential interfaces on the affected component where feasible.
# Configuration example
# Review installed applications and remove untrusted packages on OpenHarmony devices
bm dump -a
bm uninstall -n <untrusted.package.name>
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
