CVE-2021-39973

Kernel breakdown via null pointer dereference

Published Jan 3, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Null pointer dereference in Huawei HarmonyOS, EMUI, and Magic UI allows attackers to cause a kernel breakdown via an unspecified vector. The vulnerable locus is a kernel operation that dereferences a null pointer, but Huawei has not published the triggering interface or input path. Successful exploitation interrupts kernel service on affected smartphone builds and requires the undocumented reachability conditions described by Huawei.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.70%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Null pointer dereference in Huawei HarmonyOS, EMUI, and Magic UI allows attackers to cause a kernel breakdown via an unspecified vector. The vulnerable locus is a kernel operation that dereferences a null pointer, but Huawei has not published the triggering interface or input path. Successful exploitation interrupts kernel service on affected smartphone builds and requires the undocumented reachability conditions described by Huawei.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39973
Published
Jan 3, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
MindSpore
Product
HarmonyOS
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.001
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 3, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

MindSpore · HarmonyOSversion=2.0
MindSpore · EMUIversion=11.0.0
MindSpore · Magic UIversion=4.0.0

Published CVSS scores

7.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.001Endpoint Denial of Service: Operating System Crash

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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