CVE-2026-16997: CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management in IBM AIX
CVE-2026-16997 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM AIX versions 7.2 and 7.3, as well as IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1, involving improper privilege management. This flaw could allow a local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-269, indicating issues with improper privilege management. No official patch or remediation details have been provided yet. The vulnerability has not been reported as exploited in the wild.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3, along with IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1, contain a vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-16997 related to improper privilege management (CWE-269). This vulnerability allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to full system compromise. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction but no privileges are required initially. No official remediation or patch information is currently available.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow a local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges, resulting in complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. This could lead to unauthorized access, data manipulation, and denial of service conditions.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is released, restrict local access to trusted users only and monitor for suspicious activity related to privilege escalation attempts.
CVE-2026-16997: CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management in IBM AIX
Description
CVE-2026-16997 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM AIX versions 7.2 and 7.3, as well as IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1, involving improper privilege management. This flaw could allow a local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-269, indicating issues with improper privilege management. No official patch or remediation details have been provided yet. The vulnerability has not been reported as exploited in the wild.
CVSS v3.1
Score 7.8high
Affected software
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
IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3, along with IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1, contain a vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-16997 related to improper privilege management (CWE-269). This vulnerability allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to full system compromise. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction but no privileges are required initially. No official remediation or patch information is currently available.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow a local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges, resulting in complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. This could lead to unauthorized access, data manipulation, and denial of service conditions.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is released, 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
- 2026-07-24T09:18:53.938Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a877785acd9273b492c5def
Added to database: 08/20/2026, 21:54:13 UTC
Last enriched: 08/20/2026, 22:54:05 UTC
Last updated: 08/21/2026, 00:12:02 UTC
Views: 4
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.