CVE-2018-7504 in PI Vision
Summary
by MITRE
A Protection Mechanism Failure issue was discovered in OSIsoft PI Vision versions 2017 and prior. The X-XSS-Protection response header is not set to block, allowing attempts at reflected cross-site scripting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7504 represents a critical protection mechanism failure within OSIsoft PI Vision software versions 2017 and earlier. This issue stems from the absence of proper security headers in the web application's HTTP response, specifically the missing X-XSS-Protection header configuration. The flaw creates an exploitable condition that allows attackers to perform reflected cross-site scripting attacks against authenticated users of the system. The vulnerability resides in the application's security posture rather than in its core functionality, making it particularly concerning as it undermines the fundamental security controls that should be in place to protect against common web-based attacks.
The technical implementation flaw manifests in the web server's response handling mechanism where the X-XSS-Protection header is either omitted entirely or configured with an unsafe value instead of being set to block mode. This header serves as a browser-based protection mechanism that instructs the user agent to block pages from loading if reflected XSS attacks are detected. When this header is not properly configured, browsers that support this feature may not provide the expected protection, leaving users vulnerable to malicious payloads that are reflected back from the server. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-16, which describes configuration issues that lead to protection mechanism failures, and more specifically to CWE-79 which addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. The flaw represents a failure in the application's security hardening practices and demonstrates inadequate consideration of standard web security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking, as it creates a persistent attack surface that can be exploited by threat actors to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive industrial control data. In industrial environments where OSIsoft PI Vision is commonly deployed for monitoring and control systems, this vulnerability could enable attackers to manipulate real-time data displays, inject malicious scripts into user sessions, or redirect users to malicious sites. The reflected XSS nature means that attackers can craft specific URLs that, when clicked by authenticated users, will execute malicious scripts in their browser context. This creates a vector for credential theft, data exfiltration, and potentially more severe impacts in environments where the application interfaces with critical infrastructure. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering, making it a significant concern for organizations that rely on industrial automation systems.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including configuring the X-XSS-Protection header to block mode, ensuring that all responses include the proper security headers, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their industrial control systems. The fix involves updating the web server configuration to include X-XSS-Protection: 1; mode=block in all HTTP responses, which can be implemented through web server configuration files or application-level code modifications. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as Content Security Policy headers, input validation, and regular security scanning of their industrial applications. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices for web applications and demonstrates that even industrial control systems require robust web security measures to prevent exploitation by threat actors. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be implemented to ensure that known vulnerabilities are addressed promptly, and that security headers are properly configured across all web applications within the industrial environment.