PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief
CVE-2026-16819 IBM CVE debrief
A local attacker could exploit a time-of-check time-of-use race condition in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 to cause a denial of service and compromise data integrity. This vulnerability affects system deployments that rely on these products. The issue arises from a timing vulnerability that allows an attacker to manipulate system states. System administrators and security teams should review official advisories and assess their system deployments to prioritize patching or implementing compensating controls. Evidence from official records indicates a high severity level due to potential impact on data integrity and service availability.
- Vendor
- IBM
- Product
- AIX
- CVSS
- HIGH 7.7
- CISA KEV
- Not listed in stored evidence
- Original CVE published
- 2026-08-19
- Original CVE updated
- 2026-08-21
- Advisory published
- 2026-08-19
- Advisory updated
- 2026-08-21
Who should care
System administrators and security teams responsible for IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS systems should be aware of this vulnerability and take necessary actions to mitigate it. They should review the vulnerability details, assess their system deployments, and prioritize patching or implementing compensating controls.
Technical summary
A time-of-check time-of-use race condition vulnerability exists in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1. A local attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service and compromise data integrity. The vulnerability is related to the timing of checks and uses of system resources. Defenders should verify affected system deployments, review official advisories, and plan for vendor-supported updates or mitigations. This involves assessing system configurations, reviewing vendor guidance, and implementing necessary patches or compensating controls.
Defensive priority
High priority due to potential for denial of service and data integrity compromise.
Recommended defensive actions
- Apply patches or updates provided by IBM to address the vulnerability
- Implement compensating controls to monitor and detect potential exploitation attempts
- Conduct thorough inventory checks to identify affected systems
- Consider implementing additional security measures to protect against local attacks
Evidence notes
The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the vulnerability. Evidence is based on official records from IBM and NVD. A local attacker could exploit a time-of-check time-of-use race condition in IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 to cause a denial of service and compromise data integrity. Defenders should verify affected system deployments, review official advisories, and plan for vendor-supported updates or mitigations.
Sources and references
Verified primary and authoritative sources
-
CVE-2026-16819 CVE Program record
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16819
CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.
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CVE-2026-16819 NVD vulnerability detail
Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified
URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16819
NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.
Supplemental references
-
Mitigation or vendor reference
Unverified legacy reference
URL: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283858
[email protected] - Patch, Vendor Advisory
Methodology and review provenance
AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.