CVE-2018-0789 in SharePoint Server
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2016 allow an elevation of privilege vulnerability due to the way web requests are handled, aka "Microsoft SharePoint Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability". This CVE is unique from CVE-2018-0790.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2021
The Microsoft SharePoint Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0789 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple SharePoint server versions including SharePoint Foundation 2010, SharePoint Server 2013, and SharePoint Server 2016. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of web requests within the SharePoint infrastructure, creating an avenue for unauthorized privilege escalation that could allow attackers to gain elevated system access. The flaw specifically manifests in the manner in which the system processes incoming web requests, potentially permitting malicious actors to execute operations beyond their intended authorization levels. This vulnerability is distinct from CVE-2018-0790, indicating separate attack vectors and exploitation mechanisms within the SharePoint ecosystem.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of request processing mechanisms that fail to properly validate or sanitize incoming web requests before executing privileged operations. When SharePoint receives web requests, it processes them through various internal components that may not adequately verify the authenticity or authorization level of the requesting entity. This weakness allows attackers to craft specially formatted requests that bypass normal access controls, potentially enabling them to execute administrative functions or access restricted resources. The flaw essentially creates a pathway for authenticated users or even unauthenticated attackers to escalate their privileges within the SharePoint environment, undermining the fundamental security model of the platform.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on SharePoint for document management, collaboration, and enterprise content services. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain administrative privileges on SharePoint servers, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistent access to sensitive corporate information. The vulnerability affects the core authentication and authorization mechanisms of SharePoint, making it particularly dangerous as it could allow attackers to modify or delete critical content, create new user accounts, or manipulate system configurations. Organizations with extensive SharePoint deployments face substantial risk exposure, particularly those with less robust security monitoring and patch management processes in place.
Security mitigations for CVE-2018-0789 should prioritize immediate application of Microsoft security updates and patches released to address the specific privilege escalation flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect anomalous web request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit exposure of SharePoint servers to unauthorized network segments. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and could enable attackers to move laterally within networks. Regular security assessments, including penetration testing and vulnerability scanning, should be conducted to identify potential exploitation vectors, while implementing robust logging and alerting mechanisms to detect suspicious activities that might indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability.