CVE-2026-16927: CWE-367 Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition in IBM AIX
Description
IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a local attacker to gain root privileges due to a time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition.
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.3high
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 is a TOCTOU race condition (CWE-367) in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1. It allows a local attacker with limited privileges to potentially gain root privileges by exploiting a timing window between the check of a condition and its use. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.3, reflecting local attack vector, low attack complexity, required privileges, and user interaction, with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No vendor advisory or patch information is currently available.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation could lead to local privilege escalation to root, compromising system confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the highest privileges on affected systems.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is available, restrict local access to trusted users only and monitor for suspicious activity related to privilege escalation attempts.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- ibm
- Date Reserved
- 2026-07-24T07:17:44.023Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 6a871857acd9273b49c60cfd
Added to database: 08/20/2026, 15:08:07 UTC
Last enriched: 08/20/2026, 15:22:37 UTC
Last updated: 10/04/2026, 16:08:36 UTC
Views: 76
Community Reviews
0 reviewsCrowdsource mitigation strategies, share intel context, and vote on the most helpful responses. Sign in to add your voice and help keep defenders ahead.
Want to contribute mitigation steps or threat intel context? Sign in or create an account to join the community discussion.
Actions
Updates to AI analysis require Pro Console access. Upgrade inside Console → Billing.
External Links
Need more coverage?
Upgrade to Pro Console for AI refresh and higher limits.
For incident response and remediation, OffSeq services can help resolve threats faster.
Latest Threats
Check if your credentials are on the dark web
Instant breach scanning across billions of leaked records. Free tier available.