CVE-2025-49704 is a high-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-94, which pertains to improper control of code generation, commonly known as code injection. This vulnerability affects Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016, specifically version 16.0.0. The flaw allows an authorized attacker—meaning the attacker must have some level of legitimate access privileges—to execute arbitrary code remotely over a network without requiring user interaction. The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation or sanitization of input that is used to generate code dynamically within the SharePoint environment. Exploiting this vulnerability could enable attackers to run malicious code with the privileges of the compromised SharePoint service, potentially leading to full system compromise. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8, indicating a high level of severity, with the vector string AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. This means the attack can be performed remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges but no user interaction, and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a high degree. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and impact make it a significant risk for organizations using the affected SharePoint version. No official patches or mitigations are listed yet, emphasizing the need for immediate attention and proactive defense measures.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-49704 could be substantial due to the widespread use of Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 in enterprise environments for document management and collaboration. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution within SharePoint servers, resulting in data breaches, unauthorized data manipulation, or service disruption. Given SharePoint's role in storing sensitive corporate and personal data, attackers could exfiltrate confidential information or deploy ransomware or other malware payloads, severely affecting business continuity and compliance with regulations such as GDPR. The requirement for low privileges means that insider threats or compromised accounts could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability, increasing the attack surface. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability could lead to significant financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties for European companies, especially those in regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, and government.

To mitigate CVE-2025-49704, European organizations should: 1) Immediately audit and monitor SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 environments for unusual activity, especially focusing on accounts with elevated privileges. 2) Restrict and review permissions rigorously to ensure minimal necessary access, reducing the risk posed by low-privilege exploitation. 3) Implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure of SharePoint servers to only trusted networks and users. 4) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and block unauthorized code execution attempts. 5) Regularly back up SharePoint data and configurations to enable recovery in case of compromise. 6) Stay alert for official patches or security advisories from Microsoft and apply them promptly once available. 7) Consider upgrading to a more recent, supported version of SharePoint if feasible, as newer versions may have improved security controls. 8) Conduct penetration testing and vulnerability assessments focused on SharePoint to identify and remediate related weaknesses proactively.