CVE-2020-1505 in SharePoint Foundation
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability exists when Microsoft SharePoint Server fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could obtain information to further compromise the user’s system. To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker would have to log on to an affected system and run a specially crafted application. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft SharePoint Server handles objects in memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-1505 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Microsoft SharePoint Server that stems from improper memory object handling mechanisms. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and specifically manifests when the server fails to adequately manage memory objects during processing operations. The flaw creates an avenue for attackers to extract sensitive information that could be leveraged for further system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker must first establish a valid user session on the affected system before executing the malicious payload. This authentication requirement does not eliminate the threat but rather suggests that the vulnerability could be exploited by malicious insiders or through credential compromise attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted application that targets the memory management routines within SharePoint Server. When the server processes specific memory objects, it fails to properly validate or sanitize the object handling procedures, resulting in information leakage. This information disclosure could include sensitive data such as system credentials, configuration details, or other proprietary information that might be accessible through memory inspection techniques. The vulnerability's exploitation pathway aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005 which covers "Data from Local System" and potentially T1059 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter" as attackers may use the leaked information to execute additional malicious commands. The memory handling flaw suggests a potential buffer overflow or improper memory deallocation scenario that allows for data exposure beyond intended boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked data could enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation, lateral movement, or targeted attacks against other system components. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially gain insights into the server's internal architecture, user access patterns, or administrative credentials that would significantly weaken the overall security posture. The vulnerability affects organizations relying on SharePoint Server environments where sensitive business data and user information are stored, making it particularly dangerous for enterprises with compliance requirements such as those governed by gdpr, hipaa, or soc 2 standards. The potential for cascading security failures increases when considering that SharePoint servers often serve as central repositories for enterprise data and may be integrated with other systems that could be compromised through information leakage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-1505 should focus on applying the official Microsoft security update that addresses the memory handling issue in SharePoint Server. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to SharePoint servers and enforce strict access controls through multi-factor authentication and role-based access policies. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual memory access patterns or unauthorized application execution on SharePoint servers. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should include memory analysis to identify similar vulnerabilities in other server applications. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege access and regular credential rotation can help minimize the potential impact if an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability. The remediation process should also include reviewing and updating security policies to address the specific threat vectors associated with information disclosure attacks targeting memory management systems.