Local Command Execution Vulnerability in IBM AIX and PowerVM Products
CVE-2026-16997

7.8HIGH

Key Information:

Vendor

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

What is CVE-2026-16997?

Certain versions of IBM AIX and PowerVM contain a vulnerability that allows a local attacker the ability to execute arbitrary commands. This issue arises from improper management of user privileges, which could be exploited by an authenticated user to gain elevated access to system commands. It's crucial for users of affected versions to review their systems for potential exposures and implement available security patches to mitigate this risk.

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:
7.8
Severity:
HIGH
Confidentiality:
High
Integrity:
High
Availability:
High
Attack Vector:
Local
Attack Complexity:
Low
Privileges Required:
None
User Interaction:
Required
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/).
.