Firmware flaw in IBM Power Systems service processor can compromise boot firmware and hypervisor on enterprise servers, risking widespread disruption to hosted workloads.
CVE-2026-96265
Authenticated FSP mailbox flaw allows Hostboot memory read/modify and hypervisor compromise.
Is CVE-2026-96265 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-96265 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 0.17% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-96265?
CVE-2026-96265 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.2. 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-2026-96265?
Not known from our data. No patch reference has been recorded for CVE-2026-96265, which is not the same as no patch existing — a fix may have shipped without a tagged reference, or after this record was written. The vendor advisory is the only authority on whether a fix exists, and mitigations may be available regardless.
What does CVE-2026-96265 affect?
CVE-2026-96265 affects IBM Power Systems Firmware FW1060.00 through FW1060.81, FSP (service processor) managed hosts. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-96265?
Restrict/segment FSP access, monitor FSP activity, and apply IBM firmware updates immediately when available.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Authenticated attacker with FSP service access can read/modify Hostboot memory, compromise boot firmware and hypervisor, enabling privilege escalation, persistence, and possible RCE.
Immediate action required
- affected>= FW1060.00 and <= FW1060.81
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.