CVE-2026-17163Network attack vector

Unauthenticated service interruption via unchecked array size

Published Aug 20, 2026 · Updated Aug 20, 2026

Resource exhaustion in IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3 and PowerVM VIOS 4.1 allows remote attackers to interrupt service over the network. An unspecified network-facing component accepts an array size field without validating it before allocating resources; IBM has not identified the parser or protocol. No authentication or user interaction is required, and successful exploitation makes the affected system unavailable.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource exhaustion in IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3 and PowerVM VIOS 4.1 allows remote attackers to interrupt service over the network. An unspecified network-facing component accepts an array size field without validating it before allocating resources; IBM has not identified the parser or protocol. No authentication or user interaction is required, and successful exploitation makes the affected system unavailable.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-17163
Published
Aug 20, 2026
Updated
Aug 20, 2026
Vendor
IBM
Product
AIX
Classifications
CWE-770, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 20, 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 vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

7.5IBMCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-770Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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