CVE-2026-16838 - Vulnerability Details - OpenCVE

IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a local attacker to overwrite critical files and obtain sensitive information due to a time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition.

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Local

Attack Complexity High

Privileges Required Low

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact High

Integrity Impact High

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Vendors	Products
Ibm	Aix Powervm Vios

No data.

No data.

References

Link	Providers
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283858

History

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:45:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Description		IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a local attacker to overwrite critical files and obtain sensitive information due to a time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition.
Title		Vulnerabilities in IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS
First Time appeared		Ibm Ibm aix Ibm powervm Vios
Weaknesses		CWE-367
CPEs		cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.2.0:::::::* cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.2:::::::* cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.3.0:::::::* cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.3:::::::* cpe:2.3:a:ibm:powervm_vios:4.1.0:::::::* cpe:2.3:a:ibm:powervm_vios:4.1:::::::*
Vendors & Products		Ibm Ibm aix Ibm powervm Vios
References		https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283858
Metrics		cvssV3_1 `{'score': 7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}`

MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: ibm

Published: 2026-08-19T19:30:41.375Z

Updated: 2026-08-19T19:30:41.375Z

Reserved: 2026-07-24T02:56:39.108Z

Link: CVE-2026-16838

Vulnrichment

No data.

NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-19T20:17:04.873

Modified: 2026-08-19T20:17:04.873

Link: CVE-2026-16838

Redhat

No data.

{"dataType": "CVE_RECORD", "dataVersion": "5.2", "cveMetadata": {"cveId": "CVE-2026-16838", "assignerOrgId": "9a959283-ebb5-44b6-b705-dcc2bbced522", "state": "PUBLISHED", "assignerShortName": "ibm", "dateReserved": "2026-07-24T02:56:39.108Z", "datePublished": "2026-08-19T19:30:41.375Z", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-19T19:30:41.375Z"}, "containers": {"cna": {"providerMetadata": {"orgId": "9a959283-ebb5-44b6-b705-dcc2bbced522", "shortName": "ibm", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-19T19:30:41.375Z"}, "title": "Vulnerabilities in IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS", "problemTypes": [{"descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "cweId": "CWE-367", "description": "CWE-367 Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition", "type": "CWE"}]}], "affected": [{"vendor": "IBM", "product": "AIX", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "7.2"}, {"status": "affected", "version": "7.3"}], "cpes": ["cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aix:7.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*"]}, {"vendor": "IBM", "product": "PowerVM VIOS", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "4.1"}], "cpes": ["cpe:2.3:a:ibm:powervm_vios:4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "cpe:2.3:a:ibm:powervm_vios:4.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*"]}], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a local attacker to overwrite critical files and obtain sensitive information due to a time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition.", "supportingMedia": [{"type": "text/html", "base64": false, "value": "<p>IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a local attacker to overwrite critical files and obtain sensitive information due to a time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition.</p>"}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283858", "tags": ["vendor-advisory", "patch"]}], "metrics": [{"format": "CVSS", "scenarios": [{"lang": "en", "value": "GENERAL"}], "cvssV3_1": {"version": "3.1", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "attackComplexity": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "baseScore": 7, "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"}}], "solutions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "A.\u00a0 APARS\n\n\n\nIBM has assigned the following APARs to this problem:\n\nAIX LevelAPARAvailability\u00a0\u00a0SPKEY7.2.5IJ5956608/14/2026SP13key_w_apar7.3.2IJ5956508/14/2026SP05key_w_apar7.3.3IJ5956408/14/2026SP03key_w_apar7.3.4IJ59563\u00a008/14/2026SP02key_w_apar\n\n\n\n\n\nVIOS LevelAPARAvailability\u00a0SPKEY4.1.0IJ5956508/14/20264.1.0.50key_w_apar4.1.1IJ5956408/14/20264.1.1.30key_w_apar4.1.2IJ5956308/14/20264.1.2.20key_w_apar\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nB.\u00a0 FIXES\n\n\n\nIBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now.\n\n\n\n\u00a0AIX and VIOS fixes are available and can be downloaded from Fix Central: https://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral \n\n\n\n\u00a0An LPAR reboot is required to complete the SP/FP update. On AIX, Live Update can be used to avoid a reboot.\n\n\n\n\u00a0IBM has assigned the following AIX Service Packs (SPs) and VIOS Fix Packs (FPs) as the remediation levels for the published vulnerabilities.\n\nAIX Level\u00a0Service PackAIX 7.3 TL04SP2AIX 7.3 TL03SP3AIX 7.3 TL02SP5AIX 7.2 TL05\u00a0SP13\n\n\n\n\n\nPowerVM VIOS LevelFix PackVIOS 4.1.2\u00a04.1.2.20VIOS 4.1.1\u00a04.1.1.30VIOS 4.1.0\u00a0\u00a04.1.0.50\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNote: These SPs/FPs are cumulative and include fixes for all previously published AIX/VIOS security vulnerabilities. They can be applied on top of any earlier affected level of the TL .\n\n\n\nNote: To apply these patches using nimsh secure, special steps must be taken as the protocol between master and client is updated to be more secure. Please read this article:\n https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283157 \n\n\n\nNote: For VIOS 4.1.0 and VIOS 4.1.1, additional steps are required to migrate to the latest Postgres15 after applying the 4.1.1.30 or 4.1.0.50 FPs above. Instructions to do that can be found here:\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 4.1.0.50 post-update instructions: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283819 \n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 4.1.1.30 post-update instructions: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283823", "supportingMedia": [{"type": "text/html", "base64": false, "value": "<p><strong>A.\u00a0 APARS</strong></p><p>IBM has assigned the following APARs to this problem:</p><div><table><colgroup><col/><col/><col/><col/><col/></colgroup><tbody><tr><td><strong>AIX Level</strong></td><td><strong>APAR</strong></td><td><strong>Availability\u00a0\u00a0</strong></td><td><strong>SP</strong></td><td><strong>KEY</strong></td></tr><tr><td>7.2.5</td><td>IJ59566</td><td>08/14/2026</td><td>SP13</td><td>key_w_apar</td></tr><tr><td>7.3.2</td><td>IJ59565</td><td>08/14/2026</td><td>SP05</td><td>key_w_apar</td></tr><tr><td>7.3.3</td><td>IJ59564</td><td>08/14/2026</td><td>SP03</td><td>key_w_apar</td></tr><tr><td>7.3.4</td><td>IJ59563\u00a0</td><td>08/14/2026</td><td>SP02</td><td>key_w_apar</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><div><table><colgroup><col/><col/><col/><col/><col/></colgroup><tbody><tr><td><strong>VIOS Level</strong></td><td><strong>APAR</strong></td><td><strong>Availability\u00a0</strong></td><td><strong>SP</strong></td><td><strong>KEY</strong></td></tr><tr><td>4.1.0</td><td>IJ59565</td><td>08/14/2026</td><td>4.1.0.50</td><td>key_w_apar</td></tr><tr><td>4.1.1</td><td>IJ59564</td><td>08/14/2026</td><td>4.1.1.30</td><td>key_w_apar</td></tr><tr><td>4.1.2</td><td>IJ59563</td><td>08/14/2026</td><td>4.1.2.20</td><td>key_w_apar</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p><strong>B.\u00a0 FIXES</strong></p><p>IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now.</p><p>\u00a0AIX and VIOS fixes are available and can be downloaded from Fix Central: <a href=\"https://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral\" rel=\"nofollow\">https://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral</a></p><p>\u00a0An LPAR reboot is required to complete the SP/FP update. On AIX, Live Update can be used to avoid a reboot.</p><p>\u00a0IBM has assigned the following AIX Service Packs (SPs) and VIOS Fix Packs (FPs) as the remediation levels for the published vulnerabilities.</p><div><table><colgroup><col/><col/></colgroup><tbody><tr><td><strong>AIX Level\u00a0</strong></td><td><strong>Service Pack</strong></td></tr><tr><td>AIX 7.3 TL04</td><td>SP2</td></tr><tr><td>AIX 7.3 TL03</td><td>SP3</td></tr><tr><td>AIX 7.3 TL02</td><td>SP5</td></tr><tr><td>AIX 7.2 TL05\u00a0</td><td>SP13</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><div><table><colgroup><col/><col/></colgroup><tbody><tr><td><strong>PowerVM VIOS Level</strong></td><td><strong>Fix Pack</strong></td></tr><tr><td>VIOS 4.1.2\u00a0</td><td>4.1.2.20</td></tr><tr><td>VIOS 4.1.1\u00a0</td><td>4.1.1.30</td></tr><tr><td>VIOS 4.1.0\u00a0\u00a0</td><td>4.1.0.50</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p><strong>Note:</strong> These SPs/FPs are cumulative and include fixes for all previously published AIX/VIOS security vulnerabilities. They can be applied on top of any earlier affected level of the TL .</p><p><strong>Note:</strong> To apply these patches using nimsh secure, special steps must be taken as the protocol between master and client is updated to be more secure. Please read this article:<br/><a href=\"https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283157\" rel=\"nofollow\">https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283157</a></p><p><strong>Note:</strong> For VIOS 4.1.0 and VIOS 4.1.1, additional steps are required to migrate to the latest Postgres15 after applying the 4.1.1.30 or 4.1.0.50 FPs above. Instructions to do that can be found here:\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0</p><p>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 4.1.0.50 post-update instructions: <a href=\"https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283819\" rel=\"nofollow\">https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283819</a><br/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 4.1.1.30 post-update instructions: <a href=\"https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283823\" rel=\"nofollow\">https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283823</a></p><p></p>"}]}], "credits": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CVE-2026-14970, CVE-2026-15061, CVE-2026-15078, CVE-2026-15065, CVE-2026-15068 were reported to IBM by Oneconsult AG (https://oneconsult.com/).", "type": "finder"}]}}}