CVE-2026-16932
Received Received - Intake

Arbitrary Command Execution in IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS

Publication date: 2026-08-20

Last updated on: 2026-08-20

Assigner: IBM Corporation

Description
IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a local attacker to execute arbitrary commands due to improper validation of the ODMDIR environment variable.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-20
Last Modified
2026-08-20
Generated
2026-08-20
AI Q&A
2026-08-20
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-16932
EUVD
EUVD-2026-63389

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 3 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
ibm aix 7.2
ibm aix 7.3
ibm powervm_vios 4.1

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-78 The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary commands. It occurs due to improper validation of the ODMDIR environment variable, which could be exploited to run unauthorized code on the system.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability involves improper validation of the ODMDIR environment variable in IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS. Detection requires checking for affected versions and verifying if the environment variable is being manipulated. No specific commands are provided in the context to directly detect this issue.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker with local access to gain full control over the affected system. This may lead to unauthorized data access, system manipulation, or further network compromise depending on the attacker's goals.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability allows local attackers to execute arbitrary commands due to improper validation of the ODMDIR environment variable. This could lead to unauthorized access or control over affected systems, potentially compromising sensitive data. Such unauthorized access may violate compliance requirements under GDPR or HIPAA by exposing personal or health information.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS security patches or updates as soon as they become available. Monitor IBM PSIRT advisories for fixes and restrict local user access to prevent unauthorized command execution.

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