CVE-2026-16656
Received Received - Intake

Authentication Bypass in IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS

Publication date: 2026-08-19

Last updated on: 2026-08-19

Assigner: IBM Corporation

Description
IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a remote attacker to gain root privileges due to improper authentication.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-19
Last Modified
2026-08-19
Generated
2026-08-19
AI Q&A
2026-08-19
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-16656
EUVD
EUVD-2026-62514

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 3 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
ibm aix From 7.2 (inc)
ibm aix From 7.3 (inc)
ibm powervm_vios From 4.1 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-287 When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability allows a remote attacker to gain root privileges on affected systems due to improper authentication in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to take full control of the system, access sensitive data, install malware, or disrupt operations. Systems with internet exposure are at higher risk.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to personal or sensitive data, violating GDPR and HIPAA requirements for data protection and access control.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply IBM-provided security patches or updates for AIX 7.2, 7.3, and PowerVM VIOS 4.1 immediately. Isolate affected systems from untrusted networks until patched. Monitor IBM security advisories for further guidance.

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