CVE-2026-16973

Received Received - Intake

Out-of-Bounds Read 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 disclose sensitive kernel memory due to an out-of-bounds read.

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-2026-16973

EUVD

EUVD-2026-63702

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-200	The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1. A local attacker could exploit it to disclose sensitive kernel memory by reading beyond the intended memory boundaries.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability involves an out-of-bounds read in IBM AIX or PowerVM VIOS kernel memory. Detection requires checking system logs for kernel errors or unusual memory access patterns. Use commands like 'errpt -a' on AIX to review error logs for kernel-related issues. Monitor for crashes or hangs in system processes.

Impact Analysis

A local attacker could access sensitive kernel memory, potentially leading to unauthorized information disclosure. This may include system configuration details or other protected data.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could allow disclosure of sensitive kernel memory, which may lead to unauthorized access to personal or health data. This could impact compliance with GDPR (data protection) and HIPAA (health information privacy) by increasing the risk of data breaches and unauthorized disclosures.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply IBM-provided patches or updates for AIX 7.2/7.3 and PowerVM VIOS 4.1 immediately. Restrict local user access to sensitive kernel functions. Monitor IBM's security advisories for updates. Isolate affected systems if possible until patched.

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