CVE-2024-32987 is a high-severity Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability identified in Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016, specifically version 16.0.0. SSRF vulnerabilities occur when an attacker can manipulate a server to make unauthorized requests to internal or external resources on behalf of the server. In this case, the vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to send crafted requests to internal systems via the SharePoint server, potentially leading to information disclosure. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 reflects the vulnerability's characteristics: it can be exploited remotely over the network without any privileges or user interaction, and it primarily impacts confidentiality by exposing sensitive information. The vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability directly. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and could be targeted by attackers. The lack of an official patch link suggests that mitigation may rely on configuration changes or forthcoming updates from Microsoft. The CWE-918 classification confirms the SSRF nature, which is often leveraged to bypass firewalls, access internal services, or gather sensitive data from internal networks that are otherwise inaccessible externally. Given SharePoint's widespread use in enterprise environments for document management and collaboration, this vulnerability poses a significant risk if exploited.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-32987 can be substantial due to the prevalent use of Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 in government, financial, healthcare, and large corporate sectors. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive internal information, including confidential documents, internal network architecture, or authentication tokens. This exposure could facilitate further attacks such as lateral movement, privilege escalation, or targeted espionage. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication and no user interaction, attackers can remotely exploit vulnerable SharePoint servers exposed to the internet or accessible within corporate networks. The confidentiality breach could violate GDPR regulations, leading to legal and financial repercussions for affected organizations. Additionally, the internal reconnaissance enabled by SSRF could undermine network segmentation and defense-in-depth strategies common in European enterprises. Although availability and integrity are not directly impacted, the indirect consequences of information leakage can be severe, including reputational damage and loss of stakeholder trust.

1. Immediate network-level controls: Restrict inbound access to SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 instances to trusted IP addresses only, using firewalls or network access control lists (ACLs). 2. Implement strict outbound egress filtering on SharePoint servers to prevent unauthorized internal or external requests initiated by the server. 3. Monitor and analyze SharePoint server logs for unusual or unexpected outbound requests that could indicate exploitation attempts. 4. Apply any available Microsoft security updates or patches as soon as they are released; monitor Microsoft advisories closely for updates addressing CVE-2024-32987. 5. If patches are not yet available, consider disabling or restricting vulnerable SharePoint features or web parts that handle external requests until a fix is deployed. 6. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block SSRF attack patterns targeting SharePoint. 7. Conduct internal penetration testing and vulnerability assessments focusing on SSRF vectors in SharePoint environments. 8. Educate IT and security teams about SSRF risks and ensure incident response plans include steps for SSRF exploitation scenarios.