CVE-2024-38024 is a vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 (version 16.0.0) that arises from improper deserialization of untrusted data, classified under CWE-502. Deserialization vulnerabilities occur when untrusted input is deserialized by an application, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate the process and execute arbitrary code. In this case, the vulnerability enables remote code execution (RCE) without requiring user interaction, but it does require the attacker to have high privileges on the SharePoint server. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.2, reflecting a high severity due to network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), but requiring privileges (PR:H), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact metrics indicate high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability was published on July 9, 2024, with no known exploits in the wild yet. SharePoint is widely used in enterprise environments for document management and collaboration, making this vulnerability a significant risk for organizations that have not yet applied mitigations or patches. The lack of a patch link suggests that a fix may be pending or recently released, emphasizing the need for vigilance. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain full control over the SharePoint server, leading to data theft, service disruption, or use as a pivot point for further network compromise.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-38024 can be substantial. SharePoint is a core collaboration and document management platform used extensively across public and private sectors in Europe. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate or governmental data, disruption of critical workflows, and potential compliance violations under regulations like GDPR due to data breaches. The high integrity and availability impact means attackers could modify or delete important documents or disrupt services, affecting business continuity. Additionally, the ability to execute code remotely with high privileges could allow attackers to establish persistent footholds, move laterally within networks, and escalate attacks. This is particularly concerning for sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, which rely heavily on SharePoint for daily operations. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the vulnerability’s characteristics suggest it could be targeted soon.

1. Apply official Microsoft patches immediately once they become available for SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 version 16.0.0. 2. Restrict administrative privileges on SharePoint servers to the minimum necessary and monitor privileged account activities closely. 3. Implement application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous deserialization or code execution behaviors. 4. Employ network segmentation to isolate SharePoint servers from less trusted network zones to limit lateral movement opportunities. 5. Enable detailed logging and monitor for unusual deserialization patterns or unexpected remote code execution attempts. 6. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on deserialization vulnerabilities and privilege escalation paths within SharePoint environments. 7. Educate IT and security teams about the risks of deserialization vulnerabilities and the importance of timely patching and privilege management. 8. Consider deploying web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block malicious serialized payloads targeting SharePoint.