CVE-2018-0864 in SharePoint Enterprise Server
Summary
by MITRE
SharePoint Project Server 2013 and SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 allow an information disclosure vulnerability due to how web requests are handled, aka "Microsoft SharePoint Information Disclosure Vulnerability".
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0864 represents a critical information disclosure weakness in Microsoft SharePoint Project Server 2013 and SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 environments. This flaw stems from improper handling of web requests within the SharePoint infrastructure, creating potential pathways for unauthorized data exposure. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically affects the request processing mechanisms that govern how SharePoint servers respond to incoming web traffic. Security researchers have classified this issue as an information disclosure vulnerability due to its ability to reveal sensitive data that should remain protected within the corporate network boundaries. The flaw exists in the core web request processing logic where insufficient validation and sanitization of incoming requests allows malicious actors to potentially extract confidential information through crafted web requests.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper validation of HTTP request parameters and headers within the SharePoint server response handling mechanisms. When SharePoint servers process web requests, they fail to adequately sanitize or validate certain input parameters that could contain malicious payloads or trigger unexpected behavior. This inadequate input validation creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate request structures in ways that bypass normal access controls and reveal internal system information. The vulnerability manifests when the server processes specific combinations of request parameters that cause it to return additional information beyond what is normally accessible to authenticated users. This behavior aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental weakness in software security design that leads to various information disclosure scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-0864 extends beyond simple data exposure to potentially compromise entire SharePoint environments and their underlying data repositories. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability could access project data, user credentials, system configurations, and other sensitive information that resides within SharePoint servers. The disclosure could include internal file paths, server configuration details, and potentially authentication tokens that could facilitate further attacks within the network. Organizations running affected SharePoint versions face significant risk of data breaches and compliance violations, particularly in regulated environments where information protection is mandatory. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because SharePoint servers often serve as central repositories for business-critical information, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals seeking to extract valuable data assets. This weakness also enables potential lateral movement within networks where SharePoint servers are integrated with other enterprise systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0864 should focus on immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's security updates, which address the core request handling logic that enables the information disclosure. Organizations must ensure that all SharePoint servers are updated with the latest security patches released by Microsoft, as these updates contain fixes for the underlying validation and sanitization issues. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of SharePoint servers to untrusted networks, reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Additionally, implementing comprehensive monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous request patterns and unusual data access behaviors will help identify exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments of their SharePoint environments to identify similar weaknesses in other components that might present comparable risks. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in staging environments before production deployment to avoid service disruptions. Organizations should also review their existing security policies and access controls to ensure that they align with the principle of least privilege, limiting the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper input validation in enterprise web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1005 for data from local system and T1082 for system information discovery.