External risk intelligence

Microsoft SharePoint Weak Authentication Bypass

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.1)

CVE-2026-55040

Microsoft SharePoint is frequently deployed as an internet-facing portal, web application, or collaboration gateway, making it inherently designed for network access in most common enterprise and public-facing configurations.

Microsoft Sharepoint Server

before 16.0.19725.2043420162019

Halo Surface Signal: 5 out of 5 — more likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

This advisory details a critical vulnerability in Microsoft Office SharePoint that allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass security features over a network. This type of bypass could potentially expose sensitive information or grant unauthorized access. The primary concern is to confirm if our environment utilizes the affected technology and assess any potential exposure.

  • Weak authentication allows unauthorized network access.
  • Potential for bypassing security controls exists.
  • Confirm relevance and assess exposure to SharePoint.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests over a network to a vulnerable Microsoft Office SharePoint instance. This bypasses a security feature, potentially allowing unauthorized access and modification of data.

  • Network access required.
  • Weak authentication is triggered.
  • Unauthorized data access and modification.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could allow an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature in Microsoft Office SharePoint over a network, potentially affecting the confidentiality and integrity of system data. This could occur when the SharePoint service is accessible via a network without proper authentication.

  • System data integrity and confidentiality.
  • Network access bypasses security feature.
  • Unauthorized access to system data.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

Weak authentication in Microsoft Office SharePoint can allow an unauthorized network attacker to bypass security. Real-world action requires identifying affected SharePoint deployments, confirming their exposure and criticality, and locating the accountable owner to plan remediation. Coordination with the vendor may be necessary for a permanent fix.

  • Application and infrastructure owners should address.
  • Verify external reachability and business impact.
  • Plan vendor coordination and targeted remediation.

Supplementary metadata

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

Frequently asked questions

What is Microsoft Office SharePoint?

Microsoft Office SharePoint is a web-based collaboration and document management platform. Organizations use it to store, organize, and share digital assets, manage internal websites, and streamline team workflows across corporate networks.

What does weak authentication mean in CVE-2026-55040?

This vulnerability, classified as CWE-1390 (Weak Authentication), means the system fails to correctly verify the identity of a user. In this specific case, the weakness allows an attacker to bypass security features, letting them interact with the SharePoint server as if they were a legitimate, authorized user.

How can an attacker trigger this CVE-2026-55040 vulnerability?

An attacker triggers this by sending specially crafted requests over a network to the SharePoint instance. The vulnerability does not require the attacker to have existing login credentials; however, it cannot be triggered if the SharePoint instance is completely disconnected from the network or restricted from all remote incoming traffic.

Is my SharePoint instance at high risk?

According to Halo Surface Signal, SharePoint is frequently deployed as an internet-facing portal or web application. Because this vulnerability is accessible over a network without requiring prior authentication, instances reachable from the public internet are at significantly higher risk compared to those strictly limited to an internal, private network.

How should I respond to CVE-2026-55040?

First, identify all instances of SharePoint in your environment and determine which are accessible over the network. Once localized, consult the official Microsoft update guide to identify patches or configuration changes. Coordinate with your application owners to prioritize updates for any systems that are reachable from the internet or other untrusted networks.

References