Microsoft SharePoint zero-day flaw prompts urgent global response

Techday NZ

3 days ago

Organisations around the world are racing to mitigate the impact of a critical zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft's SharePoint server software, which has already been implicated in a series of significant security breaches and is being actively exploited by threat actors, including alleged Chinese nation-state groups.
The flaw, catalogued as CVE-2025-53770, was revealed last week after several cyber security researchers, including Microsoft and Google's Threat Intelligence Group, published emergency advisories.
Microsoft has clarified that the vulnerability affects only on-premises versions of SharePoint. SharePoint Online, the cloud-based variant included in Microsoft 365, is not impacted by this zero-day flaw.
The urgency of the threat became clear after Eye Security researchers published findings that highlighted "active, large-scale exploitation" of the flaw, which they related to a set of vulnerabilities coined "ToolShell." Attackers who successfully exploit CVE-2025-53770 can access sensitive MachineKey configuration details on vulnerable servers, including the validationKey and decryptionKey. These critical parameters can then be used to craft specially designed requests that enable unauthenticated remote code execution, effectively giving attackers full control over the targeted servers.
Late breaking fixes for SharePoint Server 2019 and SharePoint Subscription Edition have been made available, with a patch for SharePoint Server 2016 expected to follow. Organisations are being urged to conduct incident response investigations, apply available patches, and closely review Microsoft's temporary mitigation instructions to limit exposure.
In recent reports, the scope and impact of the exploit have become clearer. More than 100 servers across at least 60 global organisations, including critical infrastructure such as the US National Nuclear Security Administration, have reportedly been breached via the vulnerability. Cyber security analysts have attributed the campaign to Chinese state-linked groups, among them Linen Typhoon, Violet Typhoon, and Storm-2603. These groups are said to have used stolen credentials to establish persistent access, potentially enabling ongoing espionage even after patches are applied.
According to Charles Carmakal, CTO of Mandiant Consulting at Google Cloud, attackers are using the vulnerability to install webshells - malicious scripts that provide ongoing unauthorised access - and to exfiltrate cryptographic secrets from compromised servers. This presents a substantial risk to organisations, as it allows persistent, unauthenticated access by malicious actors.
"If your organisation has on-premises Microsoft SharePoint exposed to the internet, you have an immediate action to take," Carmakal said.
He stressed that mitigation steps must be implemented without delay, as well as the application of patches as they become available. "This isn't an 'apply the patch and you're done' situation. Organisations need to assume compromise, investigate for any evidence of prior intrusion, and take appropriate remediation actions."
Satnam Narang, Senior Staff Research Engineer at Tenable, warned of the widespread consequences, stating: "The active exploitation of the SharePoint zero-day vulnerability over the weekend will have far-reaching consequences for those organisations that were affected. Attackers were able to exploit the flaw to steal MachineKey configuration details, which could be used to gain unauthenticated remote code execution."
Narang added that early signs of compromise could include the presence of a file named spinstall0.aspx, although it might carry a different extension in some cases.
Bob Huber, Chief Security Officer and President of Public Sector at Tenable, commented: "The recent breach of multiple governments' systems […] is yet another urgent reminder of the stakes we're facing. This isn't just about a single flaw, but how sophisticated actors exploit these openings for long-term gain."
Huber noted that because Microsoft's identity stack is so deeply embedded in government and corporate environments, a breach in SharePoint can create "a massive single point of failure." He argued for a more proactive, preventative approach to cyber security, emphasising the need for exposure management platforms that provide unified oversight across complex infrastructures.
For now, the coordinated response by vendors, security firms, and government agencies continues, as organisations track for signs of compromise and await further guidance on long-term remediation. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the intricate cyber threats faced by modern institutions, and the pressing need for rigorous, ongoing defence strategies against ever-evolving adversaries.