# CVE-2021-38917: Privilege escalation in PowerVM Hypervisor

> An attacker with service access to the FSP can read and write arbitrary host system memory, leading to privilege escalation and data compromise.

- **Severity:** High 7.4 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/PR:N/UI:N/I:H/AC:H/C:H/A:N/S:U/RC:C/RL:O/E:U`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Dec 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jrj8-w63v-jf8f

## What is CVE-2021-38917?

CVE-2021-38917 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM PowerVM Hypervisor, published on 10 Dec 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM PowerVM Hypervisor FW860, FW940, and FW950 could allow an attacker that gains service access to the FSP can read and write arbitrary host system memory through a series of carefully crafted service procedures. IBM X-Force ID: 210018.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-38917?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Powervm Hypervisor.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-38917?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-38917 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-38917 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38917 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM PowerVM Hypervisor

- [CVE-2023-30438](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-30438/): IBM PowerVM gain access (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2021-38918](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38918/): Security feature bypass in PowerVM Hypervisor (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2022-22445](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22445/): Privilege escalation in PowerVM Hypervisor (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2025-36035](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-36035/): IBM PowerVM Hypervisor denial of service (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2023-30440](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-30440/): IBM PowerVM Hypervisor denial of service (medium 6.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-38917 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-38917 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM PowerVM Hypervisor, published on 10 Dec 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38917 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM PowerVM Hypervisor. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38917/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38917/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38917
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38917
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38917

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38917/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.