CVE-2024-40446 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability affecting forkosh Mime Tex versions prior to 1.77. Mime Tex is a tool used to convert LaTeX math expressions into images, commonly embedded in web applications or documentation systems to render mathematical notation. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of crafted scripts, which allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system without requiring any authentication or user interaction. The root cause is identified as CWE-94, which corresponds to improper control of code generation or execution, indicating that the application likely evaluates or executes user-supplied input as code without sufficient validation or sanitization. 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 on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H), meaning successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise, data theft, manipulation, or denial of service. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the critical nature and ease of exploitation make this vulnerability a significant threat, especially for web-facing services that utilize Mime Tex for rendering mathematical content. The lack of vendor or product information beyond the Mime Tex tool suggests that the vulnerability is specific to this software component, which may be embedded in various platforms or custom applications. The absence of patch links indicates that a fix may not yet be publicly available, increasing the urgency for organizations to implement mitigations or monitor for updates.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-40446 can be substantial, particularly for academic institutions, research centers, educational platforms, and any enterprise relying on web applications that render mathematical notation using Mime Tex. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive research data, intellectual property theft, disruption of educational services, and potential lateral movement within internal networks. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, attackers could deploy malware, exfiltrate data, or cause service outages. The vulnerability’s network-exploitable nature means that exposed web servers or services are at immediate risk, increasing the attack surface. Additionally, organizations in sectors such as finance, engineering, and technology that use technical documentation or reporting tools embedding Mime Tex may also be affected. The lack of authentication and user interaction requirements further exacerbate the risk, enabling automated exploitation attempts. This could lead to reputational damage, regulatory penalties under GDPR if personal data is compromised, and operational disruption. The threat is particularly relevant in the context of increasing cyber espionage and ransomware campaigns targeting European entities, where attackers may leverage such vulnerabilities as initial access vectors.

1. Immediate identification and inventory of all systems and applications using forkosh Mime Tex, including embedded instances in custom or third-party software. 2. Apply any available patches or updates from the Mime Tex maintainers as soon as they are released. In the absence of official patches, consider temporarily disabling or removing Mime Tex functionality from exposed services. 3. Implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious payloads targeting the vulnerability, especially those containing crafted scripts or unusual input patterns. 4. Employ strict input validation and sanitization on any user-supplied data that may be processed by Mime Tex or related components to prevent injection of malicious code. 5. Restrict network exposure of services using Mime Tex to trusted internal networks or VPNs, minimizing public internet accessibility. 6. Monitor logs and network traffic for indicators of exploitation attempts, including anomalous script execution or unexpected process spawning on servers running Mime Tex. 7. Conduct security awareness and incident response preparedness focused on rapid detection and containment of potential exploitation. 8. Engage with vendors or open-source communities to track patch releases and share threat intelligence. 9. Consider deploying application sandboxing or containerization to limit the impact of potential code execution within Mime Tex environments. 10. Review and enhance overall endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities to identify post-exploitation activities stemming from this vulnerability.