CVE-2026-18849: CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') in IBM OPENBMC

CVE-2026-18849 is a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) in IBM OpenBMC firmware versions FW1060.00 through FW1060.80. The vulnerability exists in the BMC firmware update process and can be exploited by an attacker who has authenticated administrator-level access to the BMC. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution, affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. The CVSS 3.1 vector indicates the attack requires adjacent network access, low attack complexity, high privileges, no user interaction, and results in high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

An attacker with authenticated administrator-level access to the BMC can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code. This can lead to full compromise of the BMC firmware, resulting in potential loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system managed by the BMC.

Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict administrator-level access to the BMC to trusted personnel only and monitor for any unusual activity related to firmware updates.