CVE-2018-7531
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn Improper Input Validation issue was discovered in OSIsoft PI Data Archive versions 2017 and prior. Unauthenticated users may use unvalidated custom requests to crash the server.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceThe vulnerability exists in OSIsoft PI Data Archive versions 2017 and prior where improper input validation allows unauthenticated attackers to send specially crafted custom requests that are not properly validated, leading to server crashes (denial of service).
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 2017= 2017CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify PI Data Archive installation and versionCheck the installed PI Data Archive version through the PI Server installation directory, PI System Management Tools, or Windows Programs and Features. Common locations include the 'PIServer' or 'PI Data Archive' program folders, or query the Windows registry under HKLM\Software\OSIsoft\PI Data Archive for the Version value.Affected if The installed version is 2017 or any version prior to 2017 (e.g., 2016, 2015, etc.)
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Confirm PI Data Archive service is runningOpen Windows Services (services.msc) and locate the 'PI Data Archive' or 'PI Server' service. Verify its status is Running. Also check for the PI Data Archive process (pidasrv.exe or similar) in Task Manager.Affected if The PI Data Archive service is installed and running on the system.
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Assess network exposure of PI Data Archive portsReview firewall rules and network configuration to determine if the PI Data Archive service ports (default TCP ports 5450, 5457, and 5460) are exposed to untrusted networks or the public internet. Use netstat -an or PortQry to list listening ports and their binding addresses.Affected if PI Data Archive ports are accessible from untrusted network segments or the internet, allowing unauthenticated attackers to send custom requests.
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Verify custom request handling is enabledCheck PI Data Archive configuration files (typically in the Data Archive bin or conf directory) for custom request handlers, plug-ins, or custom data reference configurations that process external input. Review PI Points or custom data references that accept external parameters.Affected if Custom request handlers or custom data references are configured and enabled, allowing specially crafted requests to be processed.
The environment is affected if PI Data Archive version 2017 or earlier is installed, running, and accessible to unauthenticated attackers who can send specially crafted custom requests over the network.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataApply vendor-supplied patches or updates to PI Data Archive. If no patch is available, implement network segmentation and firewall rules to restrict unauthorized access to the PI Data Archive service ports.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2018-7531 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2018-7531 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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