CVE-2026-16996
Local integer underflow allows arbitrary code execution on IBM AIX/PowerVM.
Is CVE-2026-16996 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-16996 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.11% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-16996?
CVE-2026-16996 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.8. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-16996?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-16996. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-16996 affect?
CVE-2026-16996 affects IBM AIX 7.2, IBM AIX 7.3, IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-16996?
Apply vendor patch when released; restrict local access and monitor for suspicious activity.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Local attacker can trigger an integer underflow to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, and persist on affected AIX/VIOS hosts.
Patch when possible
- affected7.2
- affected7.3
- affected4.1
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.