CVE-2026-16722
Undergoing Analysis Undergoing Analysis - In Progress

Privilege Escalation in IBM i Operating System

Publication date: 2026-08-13

Last updated on: 2026-08-13

Assigner: IBM Corporation

Description
IBM i 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to obtain unauthorized privileges due to improper privilege management.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-08-13
Last Modified
2026-08-13
Generated
2026-08-14
AI Q&A
2026-08-13
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-16722
EUVD
EUVD-2026-58367

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
ibm i 7.6
ibm i 7.5
ibm i 7.4
ibm i 7.3
ibm ibm_i From 7.3 (inc) to 7.6 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-269 The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability in IBM i allows a remote authenticated attacker to gain elevated privileges due to improper privilege management in SQL. It affects versions 7.3 through 7.6 and has a high severity score of 8.8.

Detection Guidance

Detecting this vulnerability requires checking for the presence of IBM i PTF fixes. Review installed PTFs on IBM i systems using the DSPPTF command. Compare installed PTFs against IBM's provided fixes for CVE-2026-16722. Ensure your IBM i version (7.3, 7.4, 7.5, or 7.6) has the correct PTF applied.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to obtain unauthorized privileges, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data or system functions. This could result in data breaches, system compromise, or further lateral movement within the network.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, which may violate compliance requirements such as GDPR (data protection) or HIPAA (health information privacy). Non-compliance risks include legal penalties, fines, and reputational damage.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the PTF fixes provided by IBM for your IBM i version (7.3, 7.4, 7.5, or 7.6) as soon as possible. If you are on an unsupported version, upgrade to a supported release immediately. No workarounds are available.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-16722. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart