CVE-2025-49704 is a vulnerability identified in Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 (version 16.0.0) involving improper control over the generation of code, categorized as CWE-94 (Code Injection). This vulnerability allows an attacker with authorized access to the SharePoint server to inject and execute arbitrary code remotely over the network. The attack vector requires the attacker to have some level of privileges (PR:L - low privileges) but does not require user interaction (UI:N), making it easier to exploit in automated or targeted attacks. The vulnerability affects the core SharePoint service responsible for handling code generation, which, when improperly controlled, can be manipulated to execute malicious payloads. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 indicates a high severity, with critical impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability is exploitable remotely (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L). Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability's characteristics suggest it could be weaponized quickly once details or exploits become available. The lack of user interaction and the ability to execute code remotely make this a significant threat, especially in environments where SharePoint is exposed to internal or external networks. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2025 and published in July 2025, with no patches currently linked, indicating organizations should monitor for updates from Microsoft and prepare mitigation strategies.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-49704 is substantial. SharePoint is widely used across enterprises, government agencies, and critical infrastructure sectors in Europe for collaboration and document management. Successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data breaches involving sensitive or regulated information (e.g., GDPR-protected data), disruption of business operations, and potential lateral movement within networks. The high confidentiality impact risks exposure of intellectual property and personal data, while integrity and availability impacts could result in data tampering and denial of service. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and manufacturing, which rely heavily on SharePoint, face increased operational and reputational risks. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged for espionage or sabotage, especially given geopolitical tensions affecting Europe. The absence of public exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the ease of exploitation and network accessibility make timely mitigation critical.

1. Immediately inventory all SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 deployments to identify affected versions (16.0.0). 2. Monitor Microsoft security advisories closely for the release of official patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-49704 and apply them promptly. 3. Restrict network access to SharePoint servers using network segmentation and firewalls, limiting access to trusted users and systems only. 4. Enforce the principle of least privilege by reviewing and minimizing user permissions on SharePoint, ensuring only necessary privileges are granted. 5. Implement robust monitoring and logging of SharePoint activities to detect anomalous behavior indicative of code injection attempts or unauthorized access. 6. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting and blocking suspicious code execution on SharePoint servers. 7. Conduct targeted penetration testing and vulnerability assessments focusing on SharePoint environments to identify potential exploitation vectors. 8. Educate administrators and users about the risks and signs of exploitation to enhance early detection and response capabilities. 9. Consider deploying web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block injection patterns targeting SharePoint. 10. Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing SharePoint compromise scenarios to reduce response time and impact.