🛡️ Microsoft Patch Tuesday — July 2025 Breakdown 130+ Vulnerabilities Fixed Including Critical SQL Server, SharePoint, and Office RCEsBy CyberDudeBivash | Threat Intel & Patch Advisory

🧠 Executive Summary

Microsoft's July 2025 Patch Tuesday rollout delivers a massive security update, addressing 130+ vulnerabilities across core products — including SQL Server, Office, SharePoint, Windows components, and authentication protocols.🔴 Critical Risk:

• CVE‑2025‑49719 – A network-based memory leak vulnerability in SQL Server, enabling information disclosure that could aid in further remote exploitation.

🛠️ High-profile patches also include:

• SharePoint Server RCE
• Office Word/Excel code execution
• Kerberos KPSSVC (Kerberos Policy Service) privilege flaws
• SPNEGO (Simple and Protected GSSAPI Negotiation Mechanism) spoofing issues

🔍 Technical Breakdown

1️⃣ CVE‑2025‑49719 — SQL Server Memory Leak (Info Disclosure)

• Severity: High
• Attack Vector: Remote / Network
• Impact: Memory disclosure of process and database state
• Affected: SQL Server 2017, 2019, 2022
• Exploit:
  • Crafted network packets can trigger memory dumps
  • Leaked memory may include query plans, auth tokens, or stack data useful for chaining with RCE or LPE
• Status: No public PoC, but exploitation is considered likely

2️⃣ SharePoint Server — RCE via Deserialization

• Affected Products: SharePoint Server 2019, 2022
• Bug Type: Insecure deserialization
• Exploitability: Remote attacker sends crafted payload to vulnerable endpoint triggering code execution
• Fix: Hardened input validation & serialization logic

3️⃣ Office RCEs — Word/Excel Parsing Attacks

• Exploitable via: Malicious .docx, .xlsx files
• Effect: Open leads to silent shellcode execution
• Mitigation: Use Office Protected View + patch latest KBs
• Exploit Type: Heap corruption and buffer overflows during parsing of embedded OLE objects

4️⃣ SPNEGO Spoofing Vulnerability

• Component: SPNEGO (used in Kerberos/SSPI)
• Risk: Allows attackers to masquerade as legitimate services, triggering MITM attacks
• Affected: Windows 10, 11, Server 2019/2022
• Recommended Fix: Patch + enforce Extended Protection for Authentication (EPA)

5️⃣ KPSSVC Privilege Escalation

• Component: Kerberos Policy Service
• Risk: Local users can escalate to SYSTEM by abusing insecure permissions and impersonation
• Attack Path: Local LPE chain (e.g., via initial access with low-priv malware)
• Fix: Permission tightening and token filtering

📌 Key Affected Products

🛡️ Recommendations

✅ Immediate Patch Actions:

• Prioritize CVE‑2025‑49719, SharePoint RCE, and Office RCEs
• Run SQL vulnerability scans for possible memory leakage
• Patch Kerberos/KPSSVC in Active Directory environments
• Block malformed document-based exploits with EDR / AMSI integrations

✅ Preventive Hardening:

• Enable Attack Surface Reduction Rules (ASR) in Defender
• Use SQL Server auditing to monitor abnormal memory access
• Apply Group Policy for Office file handling restrictions
• Limit SPNEGO negotiation to secure realms only

🧬 Detection Snippets

Sysmon Detection for Office RCE Payloads:

xml<EventFiltering>
  <RuleGroup name="Office RCE" groupRelation="or">
    <Rule name="Suspicious Office Child Process" eventID="1">
      <ParentImage condition="contains">WINWORD.EXE</ParentImage>
      <Image condition="contains">powershell.exe</Image>
    </Rule>
  </RuleGroup>
</EventFiltering>

SQL Server Memory Leak Monitor (PowerShell):

powershellGet-Counter '\SQLServer:Memory Manager\Target Server Memory (KB)' |
Where-Object {$_.CookedValue -gt 5000000}

📣 Final Thoughts from CyberDudeBivash

“Microsoft’s July 2025 patch wave is a blueprint of how deeply embedded attack surfaces have become — from database layers to Office macros. If unpatched, these flaws can pivot into full-scale ransomware or lateral movement vectors.”