Improper Authentication Vulnerability in IBM AIX and PowerVM
CVE-2026-16656

9.8CRITICAL

Key Information:

Vendor

IBM
Status
Aix
Powervm ViOS
Vendor
CVE Published:
19 August 2026

What is CVE-2026-16656?

An improper authentication vulnerability in IBM AIX versions 7.2 and 7.3, along with IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1, could allow a remote attacker to exploit inadequate authentication mechanisms. This could potentially lead to unauthorized access, granting the attacker root privileges, which can significantly compromise system security. Organizations using these products are urged to apply security patches and take proactive measures to safeguard their systems.

Affected Version(s)

AIX 7.2

AIX 7.3

PowerVM VIOS 4.1

References

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283858
vendor-advisorypatch

CVSS V3.1

Score:
9.8
Severity:
CRITICAL
Confidentiality:
High
Integrity:
High
Availability:
High
Attack Vector:
Network
Attack Complexity:
Low
Privileges Required:
None
User Interaction:
None
Scope:
Unchanged

Timeline

  • Vulnerability published

  • Vulnerability Reserved

Credit

CVE-2026-14970, CVE-2026-15061, CVE-2026-15078, CVE-2026-15065, CVE-2026-15068 were reported to IBM by Oneconsult AG (https://oneconsult.com/).
.