Local privilege escalation
Published Aug 20, 2026 · Updated Aug 20, 2026
Privilege escalation in IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3 and PowerVM VIOS 4.1 allows local users to gain elevated system privileges. Affected code improperly enforces privilege boundaries, but IBM has not identified the component, entry point, or incorrect privileged operation. A low-privileged local account is required; successful exploitation grants control affecting host confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3 and PowerVM VIOS 4.1 allows local users to gain elevated system privileges. Affected code improperly enforces privilege boundaries, but IBM has not identified the component, entry point, or incorrect privileged operation. A low-privileged local account is required; successful exploitation grants control affecting host confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-16937
- Published
- Aug 20, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 20, 2026
- Vendor
- IBM
- Product
- AIX
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 20, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=7.2
- Affected versionversion=7.3
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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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