Cyber Resilience

CVE-2020-16952

Microsoft Sharepoint Enterprise Server 2016

Public PoCHigh EPSS
Published
16 October 2020
Modified
23 February 2026
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.6
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L
EPSS Score 0.71 99.4th percentile
Risk Priority 90 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2020-16952 is a high-severity Origin Validation Error (CWE-346) vulnerability in Microsoft Sharepoint Enterprise Server. Its CVSS base score is 8.6 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique DHCP Spoofing (T1557.003); ranked in the top 0.6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A07:2025 Authentication Failures

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft SharePoint when the software fails to check the source markup of an application package. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could run arbitrary code in the context of the SharePoint application…

more

pool and the SharePoint server farm account.</p> <p>Exploitation of this vulnerability requires that a user uploads a specially crafted SharePoint application package to an affected version of SharePoint.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how SharePoint checks the source markup of application packages.</p>

CWE(s)
CWE-346

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1557.003 DHCP Spoofing Credential Access
Adversaries may redirect network traffic to adversary-owned systems by spoofing Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) traffic and acting as a malicious DHCP server on the victim network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1557 Adversary-in-the-Middle Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
attack.mitre.org →
T1557.001 Name Resolution Poisoning and SMB Relay Credential Access
By responding to LLMNR/NBT-NS/mDNS network traffic, adversaries may spoof an authoritative source for name resolution to force communication with an adversary controlled system.
attack.mitre.org →
T1557.002 ARP Cache Poisoning Credential Access
Adversaries may poison Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) caches to position themselves between the communication of two or more networked devices.
attack.mitre.org →
T1557.004 Evil Twin Credential Access
Adversaries may host seemingly genuine Wi-Fi access points to deceive users into connecting to malicious networks as a way of supporting follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2019-0604Same product: Microsoft Sharepoint Enterprise Server
CVE-2023-21717Same product: Microsoft Sharepoint Enterprise Server
CVE-2022-35823Same product: Microsoft Sharepoint Enterprise Server
CVE-2022-38053Same product: Microsoft Sharepoint Enterprise Server
CVE-2022-37961Same product: Microsoft Sharepoint Enterprise Server
CVE-2026-42901Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2026-56179Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2026-66318Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2026-66322Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2020-1181Same product: Microsoft Sharepoint Enterprise Server

Affected Assets

microsoft
sharepoint enterprise server
2016
microsoft
sharepoint foundation
2013
microsoft
sharepoint server
2019

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

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Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

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Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 3 hardening rules · 1 OS baseline
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

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Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

IA-9 Service Identification and Authentication
addresses: CWE-346

Requires unique identification of the service before communications, addressing failures to validate the origin of the interaction.

SC-11 Trusted Path
addresses: CWE-346

Trusted path establishment enforces validation that the communication originates from and reaches only the intended trusted system components.

SC-20 Secure Name/Address Resolution Service (Authoritative Source)
addresses: CWE-346

Enforces validation of the true origin of DNS responses via signatures and chain-of-trust mechanisms.

SC-21 Secure Name/Address Resolution Service (Recursive or Caching Resolver)
addresses: CWE-346

Enforces origin validation of name/address data, eliminating reliance on unverified or impersonated DNS sources.

SC-23 Session Authenticity
addresses: CWE-346

Mandates origin validation so that only legitimate endpoints can continue the authenticated session.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.AA-03 mostly match
prevents

Authentication directly verifies the source of users/services/hardware, mitigating origin validation failures.

PR.AA-04 mostly match
prevents

Verifying identity assertions enforces origin validation for conveyed claims.

ID.AM-03 partial match
prevents

Documenting authorized flows supports origin validation by defining expected sources.

PR.IR-01 partial match
prevents

Protecting networks from unauthorized access requires origin checks on communication sources.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.20 Networks security partial match
mitigates

Network security controls enforce origin validation at network boundaries.

A.8.21 Security of network services partial match
mitigates

Security of network services includes validating the authenticity of service endpoints.

A.8.22 Segregation of networks partial match
mitigates

Network segregation reduces exposure but does not directly validate origins.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for origin validation of inputs and communications.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture principles encourage origin checks but do not mandate them.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding practices include implementing proper origin validation to prevent spoofing.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (3 rules)
  • V-248574 YUM must be configured to prevent the installation of patches, service packs, device drivers, or OL 8 system components that have not been digitally signed using a certificate that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-346
  • V-248575 OL 8 must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components of local packages without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. prevents CWE-346
  • V-248827 OL 8 must not have the rsh-server package installed. prevents CWE-346

References