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Which SharePoint servers were affected?
The reported ToolShell attacks targeted internet-facing, on-premises SharePoint Server installations. Microsoft stated that the vulnerabilities did not affect SharePoint Online in Microsoft 365. Its July 22, 2025 incident post, updated July 23, said analysis suggested exploitation attempts began as early as July 7; Microsoft observed Storm-2603 deploying ransomware using the vulnerabilities beginning July 18.
Microsoft initially discussed CVE-2025-49704 and CVE-2025-49706. In its later WarLock threat description, it also identified CVE-2025-53770 and CVE-2025-53771 in connection with ToolShell. These identifiers appear across Microsoft’s incident and malware descriptions; administrators should check the latest applicable security update for their installed SharePoint version rather than assume an older incident-era update is sufficient.
Microsoft also reported that Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon exploited the vulnerabilities against internet-facing SharePoint servers. It assessed Storm-2603 as China-based with moderate confidence, said it had not identified links to other known Chinese actors, and could not confidently determine the group’s objectives. Those are Microsoft’s qualified assessments, not proof of state direction or motive.
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How did the attackers get in?
Microsoft described exploitation involving a crafted POST request to SharePoint’s ToolPane endpoint. In observed attacks, the request uploaded a script named spinstall0.aspx; related variants included spinstall.aspx and spinstall1.aspx. The script retrieved ASP.NET machine-key data from the server.
Those keys matter because they can be used to forge trusted ViewState payloads. Microsoft’s WarLock threat entry describes stolen keys as a way to retain an unauthenticated backdoor even after the initial vulnerabilities have been patched. Patching closes the exploited software weakness, but it does not by itself invalidate keys already stolen from a compromised server.
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Microsoft observed command execution through SharePoint’s worker process, w3wp.exe, followed by discovery activity including whoami and use of cmd.exe and batch scripts. This is the activity Microsoft reported in the campaign; it should not be treated as a claim that every ToolShell compromise follows an identical sequence.
How were security tools disabled and Warlock deployed?
Microsoft reported that services.exe was abused to modify registry settings and disable Microsoft Defender protections. It also observed several ways attackers maintained access: the web shell, scheduled tasks, and suspicious .NET assemblies loaded through IIS components.
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For credential theft, Microsoft reported Mimikatz targeting LSASS memory. For movement between systems, it observed PsExec and Impacket using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). Storm-2603 then modified Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to distribute Warlock ransomware across compromised environments. Because a changed GPO can affect multiple computers, suspicious policy changes warrant investigation beyond the SharePoint server itself.
Separately, CrowdStrike said it blocked “hundreds” of SharePoint exploitation attempts across “160+ customer environments” during its observation period. That is telemetry from CrowdStrike’s own customer environments, not a count of all affected organizations or a global victim estimate.
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What should administrators do now?
Microsoft’s response guidance covers both closing the entry point and addressing possible persistence. Apply the latest security update for the installed, supported SharePoint Server edition, then work through the following checks:
- Confirm the version and update status. Microsoft says comprehensive updates protect supported SharePoint Server Subscription Edition, SharePoint Server 2019, and SharePoint Server 2016 against the vulnerabilities it identifies. Verify the current update applicable to the installation; do not rely solely on a historical incident-era knowledge-base number.
- Enable AMSI in Full Mode. Microsoft recommends enabling the Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI) and configuring Full Mode. If AMSI cannot be enabled, Microsoft recommends considering disconnection from the internet until current updates are applied. If disconnection is not possible, restrict unauthenticated access through an authenticated VPN, proxy, or gateway.
- Ensure endpoint protection covers every SharePoint server. Deploy Microsoft Defender Antivirus or equivalent antivirus protection on each server, and use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or equivalent endpoint detection and response (EDR) to help detect post-exploitation activity.
- Rotate SharePoint ASP.NET machine keys and restart IIS. Microsoft says to rotate the keys after applying updates or enabling AMSI, and to restart IIS on all SharePoint servers. This addresses the risk that previously stolen keys could still be abused.
- Investigate the environment and follow the incident-response plan. Hunt for web shells, suspicious scheduled tasks and IIS-loaded assemblies, Defender-disabling registry changes, credential theft, lateral movement, and unauthorized GPO modifications. Microsoft directs organizations to implement their incident-response plan.
Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency reiterates the core response measures: updates, AMSI Full Mode, antivirus scanning for web shells, machine-key rotation, an IIS restart, and hunting with available indicators. CISA’s August 6, 2025 notice describes analysis of six files associated with the vulnerabilities: two DLLs, one cryptographic key stealer, and three web shells. CISA published indicators and detection signatures; it said the analyzed malware could steal cryptographic keys and run Base64-encoded PowerShell for host fingerprinting and data exfiltration.
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How this differs from ransomware synced into SharePoint Online
Microsoft’s separate guidance for ransomware affecting SharePoint Online describes a local-file scenario: ransomware encrypts files accessed through a mapped library or OneDrive connection, and the sync client or WebDAV then synchronizes the changed files online. Microsoft advises stopping synchronization or disconnecting the mapped drive and asking an administrator about restoration in that situation. That sync scenario is not the ToolShell server exploit and does not mean SharePoint Online was affected by the 2025 vulnerabilities.
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