Description

IBM i 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to obtain sensitive information due to a heap buffer overflow.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "4.3",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-13T20:17:16.013Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-13T20:17:16.013Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability involves a heap buffer overflow in IBM i versions 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3, which could enable a remote authenticated attacker to acquire sensitive information from the underlying memory space. The flaw exists within the core memory management handling of the affected operating system components, presenting significant risk implications regarding information disclosure and unauthorized data access. Exploitation of this security defect requires the adversary to possess remote authenticated access to the target system, granting them the capability to interact with vulnerable internal routines and trigger the buffer overflow condition. Successful exploitation compromises the confidentiality of system memory, potentially exposing critical credentials, session identifiers, or other sensitive runtime data processed by the operating system.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is fundamentally rooted in a heap buffer overflow flaw within specific internal components of IBM i 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3. This memory corruption defect occurs when an application or service fails to properly validate the size and bounds of input data before copying or writing it into dynamically allocated heap memory buffers. Because bounds checking is absent or improperly implemented, an attacker supplying maliciously crafted input can exceed the allocated buffer boundary, leading to an overflow of adjacent heap memory structures. To exploit this vulnerability, a remote authenticated attacker must first establish a legitimate authenticated session with the target IBM i system. Leveraging this access, the adversary submits specially crafted requests designed to target the vulnerable memory allocation routines. As the system processes the oversized input, the heap buffer overflows, overwriting adjacent memory regions that may contain sensitive operational data, internal structures, or application variables. When the system or subsequent processes read from these corrupted or adjacent memory regions, sensitive information residing in the adjacent heap space is inadvertently disclosed back to the attacker in error messages, responses, or logs. The attack vector relies on network exposure of the vulnerable services, requiring valid authentication credentials and appropriate privilege levels to interact with the targeted component. The post-exploitation impact is primarily centered on unauthorized information disclosure, as the leaked heap data can be analyzed to extract cryptographic material, system configurations, or user credentials, further facilitating lateral movement or privilege escalation within the environment."
}