Boot image substitution via unvalidated network traffic
Published Aug 19, 2026 · Updated Aug 20, 2026
Improper input validation in IBM PowerVM Hypervisor firmware allows remote attackers on the same network to disrupt a partition's network boot. During network boot, partition firmware accepts attacker-controlled boot traffic without adequate validation, allowing a forged image to replace the intended image when OS secure boot is disabled. Only an actively network-booting partition is exposed; secure boot limits the impact to preventing boot completion, while image substitution compromises everything subsequently loaded by that partition.
Summary
What happened
Improper input validation in IBM PowerVM Hypervisor firmware allows remote attackers on the same network to disrupt a partition's network boot. During network boot, partition firmware accepts attacker-controlled boot traffic without adequate validation, allowing a forged image to replace the intended image when OS secure boot is disabled. Only an actively network-booting partition is exposed; secure boot limits the impact to preventing boot completion, while image substitution compromises everything subsequently loaded by that partition.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-17414
- Published
- Aug 19, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 20, 2026
- Vendor
- IBM
- Product
- PowerVM Hypervisor
- Classifications
- CWE-20, T1557
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 19, 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
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=FW1060.00 <=FW1060.80
- Affected versionversion=FW1110.00 <=FW1110.30
- Affected versionversion=FW1120.00
- Affected versionversion=FW950.00 <=FW950.H2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo