Description

IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code due to a stack-based buffer overflow.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "9.8",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-20T22:17:12.680Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-20T22:17:12.680Z",
  "executiveSummary": "A stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability has been identified in IBM AIX 7.2, IBM AIX 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1. This security flaw enables a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems, posing a severe risk to organizational infrastructure. The vulnerability arises from improper boundary checks within the affected software components, allowing specially crafted input to overwrite adjacent stack memory structures, including return addresses.\nSuccessful exploitation of this vulnerability grants the adversary the ability to achieve arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the vulnerable process. Depending on the context of the running service, this can lead to complete system compromise, unauthorized access to sensitive data, and potential lateral movement within the network. The attack can be conducted remotely, lowering the barrier to entry for malicious actors seeking to target enterprise environments utilizing these operating systems.\nOrganizations deploying the affected versions of IBM AIX and IBM PowerVM VIOS must prioritize remediation efforts. Given the potential for remote code execution and the critical nature of the underlying operating system and virtualization infrastructure, prompt application of vendor-supplied patches and adherence to defensive hardening guidelines are essential to mitigate the associated risks.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is classified as a stack-based buffer overflow, residing within memory handling routines of IBM AIX 7.2, IBM AIX 7.3, and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1. The root cause of the flaw is the failure of the application to properly bound input lengths before copying data into fixed-size stack buffers. When an attacker supplies input that exceeds the allocated buffer size, the excessive data overflows the boundary of the buffer and corrupts adjacent stack frames.\nExploitation of this flaw occurs when a remote attacker transmits a meticulously crafted payload to the vulnerable service or component. As the target application processes the input, the unchecked data overflows the stack buffer, overwriting critical control data such as saved frame pointers and return addresses. By precisely controlling the overflow data, the attacker can redirect the execution flow of the application to arbitrary memory locations, such as injected shellcode or existing executable instructions via Return-Oriented Programming (ROP) chains.\nThe attack vector involves network exposure, as the affected components process incoming requests remotely without requiring prior authentication or elevated privileges from the attacker. Upon successful redirection of the control flow, the payload executes within the context and security context of the affected process. If the vulnerable service runs with high privileges, such as root or system-level access, the post-exploitation impact includes full administrative control over the underlying operating system or hypervisor environment, facilitating arbitrary command execution, data exfiltration, or deployment of persistent malware."
}