CVE-2026-16850: CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management in IBM AIX
Description
CVE-2026-16850 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting IBM AIX versions 7.2 and 7.3, as well as IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1. It involves improper privilege management (CWE-269) that could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code via crafted Router Advertisements. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and has a low attack complexity. It impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
CVSS v3.1
Score 8.8high
Affected software
IBM
AIX
IBM
PowerVM VIOS
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*cpe:2.3:a:ibm:powervm_vios:4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*cpe:2.3:a:ibm:powervm_vios:4.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*Run on your own infrastructure? Check whether these packages are installed with threat-finder — our free open-source scanner.
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 arises from improper privilege management, specifically a command injection vector through crafted Router Advertisements. An attacker with network access could exploit this to execute arbitrary code remotely without user interaction. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 8.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability with low attack complexity and no privileges required.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation could lead to remote code execution with high impact on system confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This could allow an attacker to fully compromise affected systems remotely via network access without needing prior privileges or user interaction.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. No official fix or patch links are provided in the current data. Until a patch is available, monitor IBM advisories for updates and consider network-level controls to limit exposure to crafted Router Advertisements.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- ibm
- Date Reserved
- 2026-07-24T03:19:59.135Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 6a860991acd9273b498b4c29
Added to database: 08/19/2026, 19:52:49 UTC
Last enriched: 09/11/2026, 06:01:55 UTC
Last updated: 10/04/2026, 10:02:25 UTC
Views: 38
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