CVE-2024-23741 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability affecting Hyper on macOS versions 3.4.1 and earlier. Hyper is a popular terminal emulator built on web technologies, widely used by developers and system administrators. The vulnerability arises due to improper handling of the RunAsNode and enableNodeClilnspectArguments settings, which can be manipulated by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system without requiring any authentication or user interaction. The underlying weakness corresponds to CWE-94, indicating improper control of code generation, which typically leads to code injection or execution flaws. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the high severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H), meaning an attacker can fully compromise the affected system. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, the vulnerability’s characteristics make it highly exploitable and dangerous. The lack of vendor or product-specific details in the report suggests that Hyper is the affected product, but further vendor advisories should be monitored for patches or mitigations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because terminal emulators often have elevated privileges or access to sensitive environments, increasing the risk of lateral movement or persistent compromise after exploitation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant threat, especially to enterprises relying on macOS workstations for development, operations, or administrative tasks. Successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data breaches, unauthorized access to internal networks, and disruption of critical services. Organizations in sectors such as finance, technology, government, and research, which often use macOS environments, may face severe operational and reputational damage. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication increases the risk of automated attacks and worm-like propagation within corporate networks. Additionally, the compromise of developer machines could lead to supply chain risks if attackers inject malicious code into software builds or deployment pipelines. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the critical severity score underscores the urgency of addressing this vulnerability.

European organizations should immediately inventory their macOS endpoints to identify installations of Hyper, particularly versions 3.4.1 and earlier. Until an official patch is released, organizations should consider the following specific mitigations: 1) Disable or restrict network access to Hyper’s remote features or any exposed services that could be exploited via RunAsNode and enableNodeClilnspectArguments settings. 2) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor and block suspicious execution patterns related to Hyper processes. 3) Enforce strict network segmentation to limit the exposure of vulnerable macOS systems to untrusted networks. 4) Educate users and administrators about the risk and encourage minimizing the use of Hyper or switching to alternative terminal emulators not affected by this vulnerability. 5) Monitor security advisories from the Hyper project and macOS vendors for patches or updates and apply them promptly once available. 6) Implement robust logging and anomaly detection to identify potential exploitation attempts early. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific attack vectors and settings involved in this vulnerability.