CVE-2026-96265

Received Received - Intake

Authenticated Service-Processor Mailbox Interface Vulnerability in IBM Power Systems Firmware

Publication date: 2026-10-12

Last updated on: 2026-10-12

Assigner: IBM Corporation

Description

IBM Power Systems Firmware FW1060.00 through FW1060.81 is affected by a vulnerability in the service processor mailbox interface. An attacker with authenticated service-level access to the FSP can send a specially crafted mailbox message to read or modify arbitrary regions of Hostboot memory, compromising the host firmware boot stack and the hypervisor subsequently loaded by it. Successful exploitation results in a confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact to the managed system.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published

2026-10-12

Last Modified

2026-10-12

Generated

2026-10-13

AI Q&A

2026-10-13

EPSS Evaluated

N/A

NVD

CVE-2026-96265

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
IBM	PowerVM	Hypervisor FW1060.00

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-119	The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary. This may result in read or write operations on unexpected memory locations that could be linked to other variables, data structures, or internal program data.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This vulnerability affects IBM Power Systems Firmware versions FW1060.00 through FW1060.81. An attacker with authenticated service-level access to the FSP can send a specially crafted mailbox message to read or modify arbitrary regions of Hostboot memory. This compromises the host firmware boot stack and the hypervisor loaded afterward.

Detection Guidance

Detection requires authenticated service-level access to the FSP. Monitor for unusual mailbox messages or unauthorized modifications to Hostboot memory regions. Check FSP logs for suspicious service processor activity or unexpected firmware changes.

Impact Analysis

Successful exploitation can lead to confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts on the managed system. Attackers could gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, alter system operations, or cause system failures.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability allows an attacker with authenticated service-level access to read or modify Hostboot memory, compromising the firmware boot stack and hypervisor. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating confidentiality and integrity requirements in GDPR and HIPAA.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest IBM Power Systems Firmware update to version FW1060.82 or later. Restrict service-level access to the FSP to authorized personnel only. Monitor Hostboot memory regions for unauthorized changes and review FSP logs regularly.

Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-96265. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.

0/70