CVE-2019-18275 in PI Vision
Summary
by MITRE
OSIsoft PI Vision, All versions of PI Vision prior to 2019. The affected product is vulnerable to an improper access control, which may return unauthorized tag data when viewing analysis data reference attributes.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-18275 affects OSIsoft PI Vision software versions prior to 2019, representing a critical improper access control flaw that undermines the security posture of industrial control systems. This vulnerability resides within the data access mechanisms of PI Vision, which is widely deployed in industrial environments for visualization and monitoring of operational data. The affected system operates as a web-based interface for accessing and displaying industrial process data, making it a prime target for unauthorized data access attempts that could compromise operational integrity.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of access control checks when processing analysis data reference attributes within PI Vision. Specifically, the system fails to properly validate user permissions when retrieving tag data associated with analysis references, allowing authenticated users to potentially access data they should not be authorized to view. This weakness stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient authorization controls within the data retrieval pipeline, creating a path for privilege escalation through data exposure. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through web-based interfaces, making it particularly dangerous in environments where PI Vision serves as a central data access point for operational technology systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, potentially enabling adversaries to gain insights into sensitive operational parameters, process variables, and system configurations that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only. In industrial control environments, this could lead to unauthorized process manipulation, competitive intelligence gathering, or even operational disruption if attackers can access critical process data. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality aspect of the CIA triad and can be classified under CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues. Attackers leveraging this flaw could potentially combine it with other techniques to escalate privileges or access additional system resources, creating a foundation for more extensive compromise within industrial networks.
Organizations utilizing affected PI Vision versions should prioritize immediate remediation through official software updates provided by OSIsoft, which address the access control implementation and strengthen authorization checks for data retrieval operations. System administrators should conduct comprehensive access control reviews and implement network segmentation to limit exposure of PI Vision systems. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting, as attackers may exploit this flaw to gain access to additional system resources. Additional mitigations include implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter access requests, establishing strict user access policies, and conducting regular security assessments of industrial control system interfaces to identify similar authorization weaknesses that could be exploited in similar contexts.