CVE-2022-38980Network attack vector

Unauthenticated process takeover via malformed protocol packets

Published Oct 14, 2022 · Updated May 15, 2025

Heap overflow in Huawei HarmonyOS 2.0 and 2.1 allows remote attackers to control the HwAirlink process via crafted protocol packets. The HwAirlink module writes beyond a heap buffer while processing malformed data packets carried by its proprietary protocol; Huawei has not disclosed the faulty routine or exact bounds error. Network reachability to the proprietary protocol is sufficient, with no authentication or user interaction required, and successful exploitation yields control of the affected process.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.55%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap overflow in Huawei HarmonyOS 2.0 and 2.1 allows remote attackers to control the HwAirlink process via crafted protocol packets. The HwAirlink module writes beyond a heap buffer while processing malformed data packets carried by its proprietary protocol; Huawei has not disclosed the faulty routine or exact bounds error. Network reachability to the proprietary protocol is sufficient, with no authentication or user interaction required, and successful exploitation yields control of the affected process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-38980
Published
Oct 14, 2022
Updated
May 15, 2025
Vendor
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Product
HarmonyOS
Classifications
CWE-787
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 14, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 15, 2025Record 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
  2. Affected versionversion=2.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. · HarmonyOSversion=2.0; version=2.1

Published CVSS scores

9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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