# CVE-2021-40004: Missing authorization in HarmonyOS

> Attackers can exploit permission management flaws in the cellular module to access confidential data on Huawei HarmonyOS devices.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jxxv-cgcp-wx2x

## What is CVE-2021-40004?

CVE-2021-40004 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Huawei Harmonyos, published on 7 Jan 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The cellular module has a vulnerability in permission management. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may affect data confidentiality.

Weakness: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-40004?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Huawei Harmonyos.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-40004?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-40004 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-40004 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-40004 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Huawei Harmonyos

- [CVE-2026-34865](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34865/): Memory corruption in HarmonyOS (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2023-34157](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34157/): Other in HarmonyOS (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2023-41294](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-41294/): Denial of service in HarmonyOS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-48478](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-48478/): Denial of service in HarmonyOS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-48479](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-48479/): Memory corruption in HarmonyOS (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-40004 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-40004 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Huawei Harmonyos, published on 7 Jan 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-40004 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Huawei Harmonyos. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40004/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40004/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-40004
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-40004
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-40004

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40004/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.