CVE-2026-17136

Received Received - Intake

Format String Vulnerability 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 remote attacker to execute arbitrary code due to a format string vulnerability.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

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-2026-17136

EUVD

EUVD-2026-63712

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-134	The product uses a function that accepts a format string as an argument, but the format string originates from an external source.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a format string vulnerability in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 that allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code. Format string vulnerabilities occur when an attacker can manipulate input data to be interpreted as a format string, potentially leading to memory corruption or arbitrary code execution.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to take control of the affected system, execute arbitrary commands, or access sensitive data. The high CVSS score (9.8) indicates severe impact, including complete system compromise, data theft, or disruption of services.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating compliance requirements under GDPR (data protection) and HIPAA (healthcare data). Organizations using affected IBM systems may face regulatory penalties, data breach notifications, and reputational damage.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply IBM-provided patches or updates for AIX 7.2, 7.3, and PowerVM VIOS 4.1 immediately. Isolate affected systems from untrusted networks until patched. Monitor IBM security advisories for updates.

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