CVE-2026-70266 in SharePoint Server
Summary
by MITRE • 10/14/2026
Improper neutralization of special elements used in an sql command ('sql injection') in Microsoft Office SharePoint allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2026
The vulnerability described constitutes a classic SQL Injection flaw within the Microsoft Office SharePoint environment, specifically categorized under CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. This security defect arises from insufficient validation or sanitization of user-supplied input before it is incorporated into dynamic SQL queries executed by the backend database system. In this context, the application fails to properly distinguish between code and data, allowing maliciously crafted strings to alter the intended logic of the SQL statement. While the prompt specifies that an authorized attacker can exploit this flaw, the fundamental nature of SQL Injection often allows for exploitation even with lower levels of initial access if input vectors are not strictly controlled at multiple layers. The core technical failure lies in the concatenation or improper parameterization of user inputs directly into query strings without adequate escaping mechanisms to neutralize special characters such as single quotes, semicolons, and comment markers that have syntactic significance within SQL dialects.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables a significant escalation of privileges over a network connection. An attacker who has valid credentials for the SharePoint application can leverage this flaw to interact directly with the underlying database engine. By injecting malicious payloads, the attacker can bypass authentication checks, extract sensitive data such as user credentials and configuration settings, modify or delete critical records, and potentially execute administrative commands on the database server. This capability effectively grants the attacker control over a substantial portion of the application's backend infrastructure, compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the SharePoint content and associated services. The impact is particularly severe in enterprise environments where SharePoint serves as a central hub for collaboration and document management, making any compromise potentially widespread across organizational data assets.
This type of exploitation aligns with several tactics within the MITRE ATT&CK framework. Specifically, it relates to T1059: Command and Scripting Interpreter if the injection leads to command execution via database features like xp_cmdshell in Microsoft SQL Server. It also falls under T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application or T1078: Valid Accounts depending on whether the attacker exploits a public-facing interface or uses stolen credentials. The persistence and lateral movement capabilities gained through this vulnerability can facilitate further attacks such as data exfiltration (T1567) or credential dumping from the database itself.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. Immediate actions include applying all relevant security patches released by Microsoft for the specific version of SharePoint affected, ensuring that known SQL Injection vectors are closed in vendor-supplied code. Developers and administrators should enforce strict input validation using allowlists rather than blocklists to ensure only expected data formats are processed. Furthermore, implementing parameterized queries or prepared statements is critical; this technique ensures that user inputs are treated strictly as data parameters by the database engine, preventing them from being interpreted as executable SQL commands. Role-based access control should also be reviewed to minimize the privileges of application service accounts connecting to the database, adhering to the principle of least privilege so that even if an injection occurs, the potential damage is contained. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on web application vulnerabilities are essential to identify similar flaws in custom code or third-party components integrated with SharePoint.