How severe is CVE-2021-40017?

CVE-2021-40017 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-40017 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (42nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-40017?

CVE-2021-40017 primarily affects Huawei Emui. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-40017?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-40017 published?

CVE-2021-40017 was published on 2022-09-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-40017

CVE-2021-40017 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Huawei Emui with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (42nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Huawei Emui
Published: 2022-09-16
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The HW_KEYMASTER module lacks the validity check of the key format. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may result in out-of-bounds memory access.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-40017?: The HW_KEYMASTER module lacks the validity check of the key format. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may result in out-of-bounds memory access.
How severe is CVE-2021-40017?: CVE-2021-40017 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-40017 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (42nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-40017?: CVE-2021-40017 primarily affects Huawei Emui. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-40017?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-40017 published?: CVE-2021-40017 was published on 2022-09-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:o:huawei:emui:11.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:huawei:emui:12.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:huawei:harmonyos:2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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