CVE-2026-16997

Received Received - Intake

Privilege Escalation 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 privilege management.

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-2026-16997

EUVD

EUVD-2026-63633

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-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

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 due to improper privilege management. This means an attacker with local access could gain elevated permissions and run unauthorized commands on the system.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow attackers to take control of the affected system, install malware, steal data, or disrupt operations. Systems running vulnerable versions of IBM AIX or PowerVM VIOS are at risk if local access is obtained.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating compliance requirements under GDPR, HIPAA, and other regulations. Organizations may face legal penalties, reputational damage, and loss of trust if such breaches occur due to unpatched systems.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply IBM-provided patches or updates for AIX 7.2, 7.3, and PowerVM VIOS 4.1 to address improper privilege management. Monitor IBM security advisories for fixes and restrict local user access until patches are applied.

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