CVE-2025-47168 is a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) identified in Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016, specifically version 16.0.0. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of memory in Microsoft Office Word components integrated with SharePoint, allowing an unauthorized attacker to execute arbitrary code locally. Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, leading to undefined behavior including potential code execution. In this case, the attacker must have local access and trigger the vulnerability via user interaction, such as opening a specially crafted Word document within the SharePoint environment. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and no privileges required, but user interaction is necessary. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's characteristics suggest that exploitation could lead to full compromise of the affected system, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the application. Given SharePoint's role in enterprise collaboration and document management, successful exploitation could allow lateral movement, data exfiltration, or disruption of business operations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses significant risks due to the widespread use of Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 in corporate and government environments. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive documents, intellectual property theft, and disruption of critical collaboration services. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts mean that data breaches or service outages could result in regulatory penalties under GDPR and damage to organizational reputation. Local code execution could also be leveraged to deploy ransomware or other malware, amplifying operational and financial impacts. Organizations relying on SharePoint for document workflows and internal communications are particularly vulnerable, as attackers could manipulate or destroy critical information or gain footholds for further network compromise.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should prioritize patching once Microsoft releases an official update, as no patches are currently available. In the interim, organizations should implement strict access controls to limit local user access to SharePoint servers and restrict the ability to open untrusted Word documents within the SharePoint environment. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous behaviors related to use-after-free exploitation. Additionally, organizations should educate users about the risks of opening unexpected or suspicious Word documents and enforce the use of protected view or sandboxing features in Office applications. Network segmentation to isolate SharePoint servers and continuous monitoring for unusual activity can further reduce exploitation risk. Finally, maintaining up-to-date backups and incident response plans will help mitigate potential damage if exploitation occurs.