CVE-2026-18669
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Privilege Escalation via Remote Code Execution in IBM i

Publication date: 2026-08-12

Last updated on: 2026-08-12

Assigner: IBM Corporation

Description
IBM i 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3 is vulnerable to a privilege escalation as the result of a remote code execution vulnerability in the activation engine component. An authenticated attacker can execute a maliciously planted script with root authority.

CVSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-12
Last Modified
2026-08-12
Generated
2026-08-13
AI Q&A
2026-08-12
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-18669
EUVD
EUVD-2026-57383

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 4 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
ibm ibm_i to 7.4 (exc)
ibm ibm_i to 7.5 (exc)
ibm ibm_i to 7.6 (exc)
ibm ibm_i 7.6

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-250 The product performs an operation at a privilege level that is higher than the minimum level required, which creates new weaknesses or amplifies the consequences of other weaknesses.

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

IBM i 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3 are vulnerable to privilege escalation due to a remote code execution flaw in the activation engine component. An authenticated attacker can execute a maliciously planted script with root authority.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could gain full control over the system, leading to unauthorized access, data theft, system disruption, or installation of malicious software. The high CVSS score of 8.8 indicates significant risk.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or data breaches, potentially violating GDPR (data protection) and HIPAA (health information privacy) requirements. Compliance may be compromised if sensitive data is exposed.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the provided PTFs immediately: SJ11009 for IBM i 7.6, SJ10978 for 7.5, SJ10977 for 7.4, and SJ10976 for 7.3. If using unsupported versions, upgrade to a supported release.

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