CVE-2025-59249: Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 23 · Weak Authentication
Affects Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 23Source CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.8 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 08:30 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.8% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 57% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:CExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 14 Oct 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 23 | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
To mitigate CVE-2025-59249, organizations should: 1) Monitor Microsoft’s official channels closely for the release of security patches and apply them immediately upon availability. 2) Restrict network access to Exchange servers by implementing strict firewall rules, allowing only trusted IP addresses and necessary services. 3) Employ network segmentation to isolate Exchange servers from less secure network zones. 4) Enforce the principle of least privilege for all accounts with access to Exchange servers, regularly reviewing and minimizing permissions. 5) Enable and monitor detailed logging and alerting for suspicious privilege escalation attempts or unusual authentication activities. 6) Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focused on Exchange server environments. 7) Educate IT staff on this specific vulnerability and ensure incident response plans include scenarios involving Exchange server compromise. 8) Consider deploying additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative access and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect anomalous behavior.
Description
Weak authentication in Microsoft Exchange Server allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.