# CVE-2026-16816: Vulnerabilities in IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS

> Remote authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary commands on IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS due to improper neutralization of special elements.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 20 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8rgq-x42p-vx92

## What is CVE-2026-16816?

CVE-2026-16816 is a critical command injection vulnerability in Ibm Aix, published on 19 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands due to improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-16816?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Ibm Aix, Ibm Vios.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-16816?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-16816 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-16816 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16816 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm Aix

- [CVE-2025-36250](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-36250/): AIX Code Execution (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-56346](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-56346/): IBM AIX command execution (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-3187](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3187/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2009-3699](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3699/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2009-3517](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3517/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-16816 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-16816 is a critical command injection vulnerability in Ibm Aix, published on 19 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16816 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm Aix. 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-2026-16816/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16816/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16816
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16816
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-16816

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16816/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.