CVE-2013-2828 in PI Interface
Summary
by MITRE
The DNP Master Driver in the OSIsoft PI Interface before 3.1.2.54 for DNP3 allows physically proximate attackers to cause a denial of service (interface shutdown) via crafted input over a serial line.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2828 affects the OSIsoft PI Interface software, specifically its DNP Master Driver component that handles DNP3 protocol communications. This flaw exists in versions prior to 3.1.2.54 and represents a significant security weakness that can be exploited by attackers who have physical proximity to the target system. The DNP3 protocol is widely used in industrial control systems and supervisory control and data acquisition environments for communication between field devices and master stations. The affected software component serves as a critical interface for processing serial communications from remote terminal units and other DNP3 compliant devices within industrial automation frameworks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the DNP Master Driver implementation. When the system receives crafted malicious input over a serial line connection, the driver fails to properly sanitize or handle the malformed data, leading to a critical system failure. This improper handling results in the interface experiencing a complete shutdown, effectively disrupting all communication capabilities between the industrial control system and its connected field devices. The vulnerability operates at the protocol level where the driver processes incoming serial data without sufficient validation mechanisms to detect and reject malformed or malicious payloads that could trigger buffer overflows, memory corruption, or other critical operational failures.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to industrial control systems that rely on continuous communication between master stations and remote terminal units. The denial of service condition can lead to complete loss of monitoring and control capabilities within critical infrastructure environments such as power generation, water treatment, oil and gas operations, and other industrial facilities. The requirement for physical proximity to exploit this vulnerability does not diminish its impact, as industrial environments often have limited physical security controls, and attackers may gain access through various means including authorized maintenance personnel or unauthorized physical access to equipment locations. The cascading effects of such a shutdown can result in operational disruptions, safety hazards, and potential financial losses exceeding millions of dollars in affected organizations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of inadequate input validation that can lead to system instability and denial of service. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service and potentially T1566.001 for initial access through physical proximity or supply chain compromise. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to the patched version 3.1.2.54 or later, implementing network segmentation to limit physical access to critical systems, deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for anomalous serial communications, and establishing robust physical security controls. Additionally, regular security assessments of industrial control system interfaces should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other legacy components that may be similarly exposed to unvalidated input processing issues.