CVE-2024-38094 is a vulnerability identified in Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016, specifically version 16.0.0, involving the deserialization of untrusted data (CWE-502). Deserialization vulnerabilities occur when software deserializes data from untrusted sources without sufficient validation, potentially allowing attackers to craft malicious serialized objects that execute arbitrary code upon deserialization. In this case, the vulnerability enables remote code execution (RCE), meaning an attacker can run arbitrary code on the vulnerable SharePoint server remotely. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.2, indicating a high severity level. The vector string (AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) shows that the attack can be performed remotely over the network with low attack complexity but requires high privileges (PR:H) and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability, all rated high. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2024 and published in July 2024, with no known exploits in the wild yet. SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 is widely used in enterprise environments for collaboration and document management, making this vulnerability significant. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting necessitates immediate attention to mitigate risk through other controls.

The potential impact on European organizations is substantial due to the widespread use of Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 in government, financial, healthcare, and large enterprise sectors. Successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code, steal sensitive data, alter or delete critical information, and disrupt business operations. This could result in data breaches, loss of intellectual property, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and operational downtime. Given the high privileges required, insider threats or compromised administrative accounts could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the risk remains high due to the critical role SharePoint plays in document management and collaboration across European organizations.

1. Apply official Microsoft patches immediately once they become available for SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 version 16.0.0. 2. Restrict administrative and high-privilege access to SharePoint servers to trusted personnel only, employing the principle of least privilege. 3. Monitor SharePoint logs and network traffic for unusual deserialization activity or anomalous remote code execution attempts. 4. Implement network segmentation to isolate SharePoint servers from less trusted network zones, reducing attack surface. 5. Use application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and block unauthorized code execution. 6. Regularly review and update SharePoint configurations to disable unnecessary features that may increase attack vectors. 7. Conduct security awareness training for administrators about the risks of deserialization vulnerabilities and the importance of credential protection. 8. Employ multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all administrative access to reduce risk of credential compromise.