CVE-2017-9641 in PI Coresight
Summary
by MITRE
PI Coresight 2016 R2 contains a cross-site request forgery vulnerability that may allow access to the PI system. OSIsoft recommends that users upgrade to PI Vision 2017 or greater to mitigate this vulnerability.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9641 resides within PI Coresight 2016 R2, a component of OSIsoft's industrial monitoring and data visualization platform. This cross-site request forgery vulnerability represents a significant security weakness that could potentially compromise the integrity and confidentiality of industrial control systems. The flaw allows malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions within the PI system without the knowledge or consent of legitimate users, creating a serious risk for operational technology environments where system integrity is paramount. The vulnerability specifically affects the web-based interface components of PI Coresight, making it accessible through standard web browser interactions.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-forgery token mechanisms within the PI Coresight web application. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing user sessions to execute unauthorized operations against the PI system, potentially gaining access to sensitive operational data or modifying system configurations. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in implementing proper session management and request validation controls that are essential for web applications handling sensitive industrial data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data access concerns, as it could enable attackers to manipulate industrial processes through the PI system. In industrial environments where PI systems serve as critical data repositories for process monitoring and control, unauthorized access could lead to process disruptions, data corruption, or even safety hazards. The attack vector leverages the trust relationship between the web application and authenticated users, making detection particularly challenging since legitimate user sessions are being exploited. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering tactics including the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to systems.
Organizations utilizing PI Coresight 2016 R2 face substantial risk from this vulnerability, particularly in environments where industrial control systems are connected to corporate networks. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to PI Vision 2017 or later versions, which include proper CSRF protection mechanisms and enhanced security controls. This upgrade addresses the root cause by implementing proper token validation, origin checking, and session management practices that prevent unauthorized request execution. Additionally, organizations should implement network segmentation, access controls, and regular security assessments to minimize exposure while the upgrade process is underway. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current industrial software versions and implementing robust security practices in operational technology environments where system reliability and security are critical for safe operations.