CVE-2026-16846

Service interrupt via null pointer dereference

Published Aug 19, 2026 · Updated Aug 20, 2026

Null pointer dereference in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 allows remote attackers to crash the host via adjacent-network requests. IBM's published records identify a NULL pointer dereference but do not disclose the affected component or the specific code path that dereferences attacker-influenced state without a null check. Reachability is limited to adjacent-network attack paths under IBM's CVSS vector, and the published impact is an availability-only system or service interrupt.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Null pointer dereference in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 allows remote attackers to crash the host via adjacent-network requests. IBM's published records identify a NULL pointer dereference but do not disclose the affected component or the specific code path that dereferences attacker-influenced state without a null check. Reachability is limited to adjacent-network attack paths under IBM's CVSS vector, and the published impact is an availability-only system or service interrupt.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-16846
Published
Aug 19, 2026
Updated
Aug 20, 2026
Vendor
OpenBMC Project
Product
AIX
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 19, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 20, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=7.2
  2. Affected versionversion=7.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenBMC Project · AIXversion=7.2; version=7.3
OpenBMC Project · PowerVM Virtual I/O Serverversion=4.1

Published CVSS scores

6.5IBMCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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