CVE-2026-16908
Undergoing Analysis Undergoing Analysis - In Progress

Path Traversal 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 gain unauthorized access to arbitrary objects due to a path traversal vulnerability.

CVSS Scores

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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-2026-16908
EUVD
EUVD-2026-58380

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 8 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 to 7.3 (inc)
ibm ibm_i to 7.4 (inc)
ibm ibm_i to 7.5 (inc)
ibm ibm_i to 7.6 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-22 The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

CVE-2026-16908 is a path traversal vulnerability in IBM i's SQL component. It allows a remote authenticated attacker to bypass path restrictions and gain unauthorized access to arbitrary objects by manipulating file paths.

Detection Guidance

Detecting this vulnerability requires checking for IBM i systems running affected versions (7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6) and verifying if the SQL component is exposed to remote authenticated attackers. Monitor network traffic for path traversal attempts in SQL queries. Check IBM i logs for unauthorized access patterns or unusual object access requests.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could allow attackers to access sensitive data, modify or delete files, or disrupt system operations. The high CVSS score (8.5) indicates significant risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected IBM i systems.

Compliance Impact

Unauthorized access to sensitive data could lead to violations of GDPR, HIPAA, or other regulations. This may result in legal penalties, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust due to compromised data integrity and confidentiality.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the provided PTF fixes immediately: SJ10871 for IBM i 7.6, SJ10835 for 7.5, SJ10840 for 7.4, and SJ10841 for 7.3. Ensure no workarounds are used as they are not available. Restrict remote authenticated access to the SQL component until patches are applied.

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