# Exchange Server CVE Analysis — Al Mayadeen (autodiscover.almayadeen.net)

> **Target:** BHS-EX09.ITTIHADTV.LOCAL
> **Build:** 15.1.2507.59 (Exchange 2016 CU23 Sep25HU — September 8, 2025)
> **Latest Available:** 15.1.2507.66 (Feb26SU — February 10, 2026)
> **Patches Behind:** 3 security updates missing
> **OS:** Windows Server 2012 R2 (IIS 8.5) — END OF SUPPORT (Oct 2023)

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## Missing Patches & Unpatched CVEs

### 1. CVE-2025-59249 — Elevation of Privilege (CVSS 8.8 HIGH)
- **Type:** Weak authentication allows authorized attacker to elevate privileges over network
- **Fixed in:** Oct 14, 2025 (15.1.2507.61) — KB5066369
- **Status on target:** VULNERABLE (running .59, needs .61+)
- **Impact:** Network-based privilege escalation — authenticated user can become admin

### 2. CVE-2025-53782 — Elevation of Privilege (CVSS 7.8-8.4 HIGH)
- **Type:** Incorrect authentication algorithm implementation, local privilege escalation
- **Fixed in:** Oct 14, 2025 (15.1.2507.61) — KB5066369
- **Status on target:** VULNERABLE
- **Impact:** Local attacker can escalate to SYSTEM/admin

### 3. CVE-2025-59248 — Spoofing
- **Type:** Exchange spoofing vulnerability
- **Fixed in:** Oct 14, 2025 (15.1.2507.61) — KB5066369
- **Status on target:** VULNERABLE

### 4. CVE-2025-64666 — Elevation of Privilege
- **Type:** Elevation of Privilege in Exchange Server
- **Fixed in:** Dec 9, 2025 (15.1.2507.63) — KB5071873
- **Status on target:** VULNERABLE

### 5. CVE-2025-64667 — Spoofing
- **Type:** Exchange spoofing vulnerability
- **Fixed in:** Dec 9, 2025 (15.1.2507.63) — KB5071873
- **Status on target:** VULNERABLE

### 6. CVE-2026-21527 — Spoofing (CVSS 6.5 MEDIUM)
- **Type:** UI misrepresentation of critical information, network-based spoofing
- **CWE:** CWE-345 (Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity)
- **Fixed in:** Feb 10, 2026 (15.1.2507.66) — KB5074995
- **Status on target:** VULNERABLE
- **Impact:** No auth required, low complexity — can spoof sender info, display falsified interface elements

### 7. CVE-2025-53786 — Elevation of Privilege (CISA EMERGENCY DIRECTIVE ED 25-02)
- **Type:** Post-authentication lateral movement from on-prem Exchange to M365 cloud
- **Fixed in:** Apr 2025 patch guidance (15.1.2507.55+)
- **Status on target:** PATCHED (.59 > .55) — but only if not in hybrid config
- **Note:** CISA issued Emergency Directive ED 25-02 on Aug 7, 2025 for this CVE
- **Risk:** If hybrid-joined, lateral movement to cloud possible

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## Additional Risk Factors

### Windows Server 2012 R2 (End of Support)
- IIS 8.5 confirms Windows Server 2012 R2
- Extended support ended October 10, 2023
- No security updates unless on ESU program
- OS-level vulnerabilities accumulating

### Exchange 2016 (End of Support)
- Exchange 2016 mainstream support ended October 14, 2025
- Only receives patches via Extended Security Update (ESU) program — PAID
- They patched through Sep 2025 then stopped — may not have ESU enrollment
- Missing 3 patches suggests they lost access to updates or stopped patching

### Exposed Attack Surface
- OWA login: publicly accessible (credential brute-force)
- ECP admin panel: publicly accessible (admin takeover if creds obtained)
- EWS: publicly accessible (API-level email access with creds)
- MAPI over HTTP: publicly accessible (Outlook protocol)
- RPC over HTTP: publicly accessible (legacy Outlook protocol)
- Healthcheck: leaks internal AD domain and server FQDN

### Email Security Failures
- DMARC: p=none (no enforcement — spoofing possible)
- DKIM: NOT CONFIGURED (no email signing)
- SPF leaks 5 origin IPs behind Cloudflare

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## Compound Attack Scenarios

### Scenario 1: CVE-2025-59249 + ECP Access
1. Obtain valid credentials (phishing, brute-force, credential stuffing)
2. Login to OWA with low-privilege account
3. Exploit CVE-2025-59249 (CVSS 8.8) to escalate to Exchange admin
4. Access ECP admin panel with elevated privileges
5. Full mailbox access, transport rules, server configuration

### Scenario 2: Email Spoofing + CVE-2026-21527
1. DMARC p=none + no DKIM = spoofing @almayadeen.net trivially possible
2. CVE-2026-21527 allows UI misrepresentation (no auth needed)
3. Combined: craft spoofed emails that also manipulate Exchange UI display
4. Perfect for spear-phishing internal users

### Scenario 3: Credential Spray + Full Access
1. EWS endpoint accepts authentication attempts
2. Spray common passwords against ITTIHADTV\username format
3. Login reason codes (0=none, 2=invalid, 3=locked) enable blind enumeration
4. Valid creds → EWS → programmatic email access to all mailboxes

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## Intelligence Summary

| Finding | Severity |
|---------|----------|
| 6 unpatched CVEs (2 HIGH, 1 MEDIUM, 3 unrated) | CRITICAL |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 (unsupported OS) | HIGH |
| Exchange 2016 (end of support) | HIGH |
| OWA/ECP/EWS/MAPI/RPC all public | HIGH |
| DMARC p=none + no DKIM | HIGH |
| AD domain leaked (ITTIHADTV.LOCAL) | MEDIUM |
| 5 origin IPs leaked via SPF | MEDIUM |
| Login reason codes enable enumeration | MEDIUM |

**Bottom line:** This Exchange server is running an unsupported OS with an end-of-life mail server missing 3 security updates containing 6 CVEs, with every attack surface publicly exposed and email spoofing trivially possible.

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*Analysis: Feb 28, 2026*
*Sources: Microsoft Learn build numbers, NVD, CISA ED 25-02, Rapid7, Wiz*
