CVE-2026-16943: Vulnerabilities in IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS

Q: Which systems should be included in triage?

Review IBM AIX and IBM PowerVM VIOS systems.

Q: What level of access does an attacker need?

The issue is described as requiring a local attacker, so it applies to attackers who can execute or obtain access on the affected system.

Published Aug 15, 2026

Updated

IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a local attacker to execute arbitrary code due to a heap-based buffer overflow.

Affected Software

10 affected components

IBM AIX<=7.2

IBM AIX<=7.3

IBM PowerVM VIOS<=4.1

IBM VIOS>=4.1.0<4.1.0.50

IBM VIOS>=4.1.1.0<4.1.1.30

IBM VIOS>=4.1.2.0<4.1.2.20

IBM AIX>=7.2.5<=7.2.5.212

IBM AIX>=7.3.2<=7.3.2.5

IBM AIX>=7.3.3<=7.3.3.2

IBM AIX>=7.3.4<=7.3.4.1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

Upgrade
Upgrade IBM PowerVM VIOS to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 4.1.0.50Patch IJ5956508/14/2026
Upgrade
Upgrade IBM PowerVM VIOS to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 4.1.1.30Patch IJ5956408/14/2026
Upgrade
Upgrade IBM PowerVM VIOS to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 4.1.2.20Patch IJ5956308/14/2026
Operational
After applying the AIX Service Pack (SP) / VIOS Fix Pack (FP) updates, reboot the LPAR to complete the SP/FP update.
Operational
For VIOS 4.1.0 and VIOS 4.1.1: after applying the 4.1.0.50 or 4.1.1.30 FPs, perform the additional steps to migrate to the latest Postgres15.

Event History

Aug 15, 2026

CVE Published

via IBM·12:00 AM

Data Sourced

via IBM·12:00 AM

DescriptionAffected Software

Aug 20, 2026

CVE Published

via MITRE·09:33 PM

Data Sourced

via MITRE·09:33 PM

RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeakness

Data Sourced

via NVD·10:17 PM

RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

IBM-7283858

Frequently Asked Questions

Which systems should be included in triage?

Review IBM AIX and IBM PowerVM VIOS systems.

What level of access does an attacker need?

The issue is described as requiring a local attacker, so it applies to attackers who can execute or obtain access on the affected system.

CVE-2026-16943: Vulnerabilities in IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS

Affected Software

Remediation

Event History

Parent advisories

Frequently Asked Questions

Which systems should be included in triage?

What level of access does an attacker need?

Company

Resources

Contact