CVE-2026-16946

Received Received - Intake

Heap Buffer Overflow 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 gain elevated privileges due to a heap buffer overflow.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
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Meta Information

Published

2026-08-20

Last Modified

2026-08-20

Generated

2026-08-21

AI Q&A

2026-08-21

EPSS Evaluated

N/A

NVD

CVE-2026-16946

EUVD

EUVD-2026-63679

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
ibm	aix	7.2
ibm	aix	7.3
ibm	powervm_vios	4.1

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-787	The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1. A local attacker could exploit it to gain elevated privileges by overflowing a heap buffer, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with higher system access.

Impact Analysis

If you use affected IBM AIX or PowerVM VIOS systems, a local attacker could exploit this to gain root or administrative privileges. This could allow them to install malware, steal data, or disrupt system operations.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating GDPR and HIPAA requirements for data protection. Organizations using affected systems may face compliance violations, fines, or legal consequences if exploited.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply IBM's official security patches for AIX 7.2, 7.3, and PowerVM VIOS 4.1 immediately. Monitor IBM's security advisories for updates and restrict local access to affected systems until patched.

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