# CVE-2026-18669: IBM i is Affected By A Privilege Escalation Vulnerability []

> An authenticated attacker can execute malicious scripts with root authority via a remote code execution flaw in the activation engine.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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:** 12 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 12 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g4wf-p98r-hh5q

## What is CVE-2026-18669?

CVE-2026-18669 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ibm I, published on 12 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM i 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3 is vulnerable to a privilege escalation as the result of a remote code execution vulnerability in the activation engine component. An authenticated attacker can execute a maliciously planted script with root authority.

Weakness: CWE-250 (Execution with Unnecessary Privileges)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-18669?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm I.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-18669?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-18669 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-18669 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-18669 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm I

- [CVE-2026-96119](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96119/): IBM i is Affected By An Improper Control of Code Generation Vulnerability in HTTP Server Administration GUI (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-16860](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16860/): IBM i is Affected By Remote Code Execution Vulnerability [] (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-17083](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17083/): IBM i is Affected By Multiple Vulnerabilities in the Debug Server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-17218](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17218/): IBM i is Affected By Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in Line Printer Daemon [] (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-17276](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17276/): IBM i is Affected By Multiple Vulnerabilities in Navigator for i (critical 9.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-18669 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-18669 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ibm I, published on 12 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-2026-18669 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm I. 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-2026-18669/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18669/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-18669
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-18669
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-18669

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18669/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.