CVE-2021-31181Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Authenticated code execution via WebPart namespace mismatch

Published May 11, 2021 · Updated Feb 28, 2025

Code injection in SharePoint builds before 15.0.5345.1000, 16.0.5161.1000, or 16.0.10374.20000 allows remote authenticated users to run code. EditingPageParser.VerifyControlOnSafeList fails to trim a Register directive namespace before resolving it, while later processing trims the value and instantiates a blocked XmlDataSource control; the control reads web.config so its machine key can sign a malicious ViewState. Exploitation requires ManageLists permission, which authenticated users can obtain by creating a site under the documented default configuration, and commands run as the SharePoint web application service account.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability30.04%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in SharePoint builds before 15.0.5345.1000, 16.0.5161.1000, or 16.0.10374.20000 allows remote authenticated users to run code. EditingPageParser.VerifyControlOnSafeList fails to trim a Register directive namespace before resolving it, while later processing trims the value and instantiates a blocked XmlDataSource control; the control reads web.config so its machine key can sign a malicious ViewState. Exploitation requires ManageLists permission, which authenticated users can obtain by creating a site under the documented default configuration, and commands run as the SharePoint web application service account.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-31181
Published
May 11, 2021
Updated
Feb 28, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2013
Classifications
CWE-94, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 11, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 28, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=15.0.0 <15.0.5345.1000

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2013version=15.0.0 <15.0.5345.1000
Microsoft · Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016version=16.0.0 <16.0.5161.1000
Microsoft · Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019version=16.0.0 <16.0.10374.20000

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
8.8Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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