Microsoft 365 vs On-Prem SharePoint: Why Canadian Businesses Need to Act Now
Intro
If your business still relies on on-premises SharePoint, this is your wake-up call. A critical zero-day attack in July 2025 has exposed serious vulnerabilities in legacy systems, leaving many organizations wide open to cyber threats.
In the next few minutes, you’ll discover:
– What the attack was and how it works
– Who’s affected
– Why Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online are safer
– How Canadian businesses can upgrade their security — fast
Zero-Day SharePoint Attack: What Happened?
In July 2025, researchers discovered a zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint Server, now tracked as CVE-2025-53770. The flaw enables unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE), and it’s already being actively exploited.
Important: This exploit does NOT affect SharePoint Online within Microsoft 365.
Timeline and Impact
– July 18: Eye Security detects active exploitation.
– July 19: Microsoft confirms threat. Dozens of organizations; banks, universities, federal agencies are already compromised.
– The U.S. CISA and FBI issue emergency alerts, urging immediate action.
Technical Overview
The vulnerability impacts:
– SharePoint Server 2016, 2019, and Subscription Edition
Attackers used a chain dubbed “ToolShell” to:
– Upload a malicious file (spinstall0.aspx)
– Steal cryptographic machine keys
– Forge signed payloads to bypass authentication
– Maintain persistent access even after patches
Potential impact includes lateral movement into Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive, compromising your entire Microsoft ecosystem.
Why On-Prem SharePoint Is Now a Liability
This exploit proves what many cybersecurity experts already knew: legacy collaboration infrastructure is no longer safe.
SharePoint Server, even when patched, remains:
– Harder to monitor
– Slower to update
– More vulnerable to privilege escalation
Organizations across healthcare, education, government, and private sectors are being forced to reassess their IT risk posture.
Concerned about growing threats like zero-day exploits and lateral attacks? Explore our managed cybersecurity services for Canadian businesses to strengthen your Microsoft 365 environment.
Why Microsoft 365 & SharePoint Online Are Safer
Migrating to Microsoft 365 is no longer optional — it’s critical. Here’s why:
| Feature | On-Prem SharePoint | SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) |
| Zero-day patch speed | Manual, delayed | Automatic, cloud-distributed |
| Threat detection | Limited | Integrated with Microsoft Defender |
| Access control | Harder to enforce | Role-based, MFA-ready |
| Compliance | Manual reporting | Built-in tools (PIPEDA, HIPAA, ISO) |
| Visibility | Minimal | Full audit logging + real-time alerts |
SharePoint Security Services for Microsoft 365 — by DNSnetworks
Just migrating to the cloud isn’t enough. Misconfigured Microsoft 365 environments are still vulnerable. That’s where DNSnetworks comes in.
We help Canadian businesses secure their Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online environments through:
Microsoft 365 Security Hardening
– Advanced Configurations
Defender for Office 365, DLP policies, Conditional Access, identity protection
– 24/7 Security Monitoring
Activity monitoring across SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive via our SOC
– Access Control Enforcement
Role-based access, Conditional Access policies, MFA setup
– Backup & Recovery
Daily backups for SharePoint sites and OneDrive to protect against insider threats or ransomware
– Compliance Support
Full alignment with PIPEDA, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and Canadian data residency
Local Expertise for Canadian Organizations
DNSnetworks is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, and proudly serves organizations of all sizes across Canada, including major cities and remote regions from coast to coast.
Whether you’re a:
– Financial institution
– Healthcare provider
– Government agency
– Private sector company
We deliver SharePoint security services tailored to your compliance and risk profile.
Ensure your Microsoft 365 and SharePoint environments meet data protection standards with our enterprise-grade information security solutions.
Free Migration & Security Assessment
Still on SharePoint Server 2016, 2019, or Subscription Edition? You’re vulnerable, and time is running out.
DNSnetworks offers:
– Free SharePoint risk assessment
– Microsoft 365 migration planning
– Security posture hardening
– Ongoing monitoring & compliance reporting
Take Action Now — Before It’s Too Late
The ToolShell exploit proves that on-prem SharePoint is a security risk. But you don’t have to navigate this alone.
Get a free Microsoft 365 SharePoint audit
Protect your business with the right cloud architecture, security policies, and real-time monitoring.
Book your free SharePoint security assessment now.