CVE-2025-62562 is a use-after-free vulnerability classified under CWE-416 affecting Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016, specifically version 16.0.0. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management in Microsoft Office Outlook components that interact with SharePoint, leading to a use-after-free condition. This flaw allows an unauthorized attacker with local access to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The attack vector requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability was reserved in mid-October 2025 and published in early December 2025, with no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication. The absence of patch links suggests that a fix may not yet be publicly available, increasing the urgency for organizations to monitor vendor updates closely. The vulnerability could be exploited by tricking a user into performing an action in Outlook that triggers the use-after-free, potentially allowing code execution with the user's privileges. This could lead to system compromise, data theft, or disruption of services hosted on SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for environments where SharePoint is integrated with Outlook and used extensively for collaboration and document management.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-62562 is significant due to the widespread use of Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 in enterprise and government sectors. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, resulting in data breaches, loss of sensitive information, and disruption of critical business processes. Confidentiality is at risk as attackers could access or exfiltrate sensitive documents stored on SharePoint. Integrity could be compromised through unauthorized modification or deletion of data. Availability could be affected if attackers disrupt SharePoint services or use the vulnerability to deploy ransomware or other destructive payloads. The requirement for local access and user interaction somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with many users and potential insider threats. The lack of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the high CVSS score indicates that once exploited, the consequences could be severe. European organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, public administration, and critical infrastructure, which rely heavily on SharePoint for collaboration, are particularly vulnerable.

1. Immediately restrict local user permissions on systems running SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 to the minimum necessary, preventing unauthorized local access. 2. Implement strict endpoint security controls, including application whitelisting and behavior monitoring, to detect and block suspicious activities related to Outlook and SharePoint processes. 3. Educate users about the risks of interacting with unexpected or suspicious Outlook content to reduce the likelihood of triggering the vulnerability. 4. Monitor vendor communications closely for the release of official patches or mitigations and prepare for rapid deployment in enterprise environments. 5. Use network segmentation to isolate SharePoint servers from general user workstations, limiting the potential attack surface. 6. Employ advanced threat detection solutions to identify anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Regularly audit and review local access logs on SharePoint servers to detect unauthorized access attempts. 8. Consider deploying virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) or sandboxing solutions to contain potential exploitation impacts. 9. Maintain up-to-date backups of SharePoint data to enable recovery in case of compromise. 10. Coordinate with incident response teams to develop and test response plans specific to this vulnerability.