CVE-2024-46062 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability found in Miniconda3 macOS installers before version 23.11.0-1. The vulnerability manifests when Miniconda3 is installed outside the user's home directory. During such installations, the installer creates files with world-writable permissions that are subsequently executed with root privileges. This insecure file permission setting allows any local user with low privileges to inject arbitrary commands into these files. Because these commands run with root privileges, an attacker can execute arbitrary code as the root user, effectively compromising the entire system. The vulnerability does not require remote access or user interaction beyond the installation context, but it does require local access to the machine. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. The flaw primarily impacts macOS systems where Miniconda3 is used, commonly in scientific computing, data science, and software development environments. The issue arises from improper handling of file permissions during installation, which violates the principle of least privilege and allows privilege escalation. Remediation involves upgrading to Miniconda3 version 23.11.0-1 or later, which corrects the file permission handling. Until patched, organizations should restrict installations to user home directories and audit file permissions created during installation to prevent exploitation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected macOS systems. If exploited, attackers can gain root-level access, allowing them to manipulate system files, install persistent malware, or exfiltrate sensitive data. This is particularly critical for organizations relying on Miniconda3 for data science, research, or software development, where compromised systems could lead to intellectual property theft or disruption of critical workflows. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk in environments with shared workstations, multi-user systems, or where insider threats exist. The flaw could also facilitate lateral movement within networks if attackers gain initial footholds on less privileged accounts. Given the widespread use of macOS in European research institutions, universities, and technology companies, the impact could be broad if not mitigated promptly.

1. Upgrade Miniconda3 installations to version 23.11.0-1 or later immediately to ensure the vulnerability is patched. 2. Enforce installation of Miniconda3 strictly within user home directories to avoid triggering the vulnerable installation path. 3. Audit and restrict file permissions during installation processes to prevent creation of world-writable files. 4. Implement strict local user access controls and monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts on macOS systems. 5. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect suspicious command injections or unauthorized root-level executions. 6. Educate users and administrators about the risks of installing software outside standard directories and the importance of applying security patches promptly. 7. In environments where upgrading is delayed, consider using macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) to limit the impact of privilege escalations. 8. Regularly review and harden macOS system configurations to reduce the attack surface for local privilege escalations.