CVE-2018-8149 in SharePoint Enterprise Server
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Microsoft SharePoint Server does not properly sanitize a specially crafted web request to an affected SharePoint server, aka "Microsoft SharePoint Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft SharePoint Server, Microsoft SharePoint. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8155, CVE-2018-8156, CVE-2018-8168.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-8149 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within Microsoft SharePoint Server implementations. This security weakness stems from the server's inadequate sanitization of specially crafted web requests that target affected SharePoint installations. The vulnerability allows malicious actors to exploit improper input validation mechanisms that should normally prevent unauthorized access to elevated system privileges. When a specially crafted web request is processed by an affected SharePoint server, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the request parameters, creating an opportunity for attackers to escalate their privileges beyond normal user limitations.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves manipulating web request parameters that are typically handled by SharePoint's web processing framework. Attackers can construct malicious HTTP requests that exploit the insufficient input validation controls within SharePoint Server's request handling pipeline. This flaw operates at the application layer where web requests are parsed and processed, allowing unauthorized users to potentially gain administrative or elevated privileges within the SharePoint environment. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can enable attackers to access sensitive data, modify content, or potentially establish persistent access to the affected systems. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" as the underlying weakness that enables the privilege escalation attack vector.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-8149 is particularly severe for organizations relying on SharePoint Server for document management and collaboration services. Successful exploitation can result in complete compromise of SharePoint environments, enabling attackers to access confidential business documents, modify user permissions, or establish backdoor access points within the organization's network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects Microsoft SharePoint Server versions that do not properly implement input sanitization controls, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where SharePoint serves as a central collaboration platform. Organizations may experience data breaches, unauthorized content modification, and potential lateral movement within their network as attackers leverage the elevated privileges to explore connected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's security updates, which address the input validation flaws in SharePoint Server's web request handling mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to SharePoint servers and deploy web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious web requests targeting this vulnerability. Additional defensive measures include monitoring web server logs for suspicious request patterns, implementing strict access controls, and conducting regular security assessments of SharePoint environments. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and initial access through web application attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing security awareness training to prevent social engineering attacks that might complement this technical exploit, as well as establishing robust incident response procedures to quickly detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts.