Power Systems Firmware: Out-of-bounds Read
CVE-2026-16828 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Power Systems Firmware from IBM, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.6 out of 10. It can be exploited from the same local network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Power Systems Firmware versions: FW1120.00; FW1110.00 through FW1110.30; FW1060.00 through FW1060.80, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.28% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Power System E1080 (9080-hex) Firmware to fw1060.81 or a later version.
- Update Power System E1180 (9080-heu) Firmware to fw1110.31 or a later version.
- Update Power System S922 (9009-22g) Firmware to fw950.h3 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on ibm.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBM | Power Systems Firmware | FW1120.00; FW1110.00 through FW1110.30; FW1060.00 through FW1060.80; FW950.00 through FW950.H2 | Not stated |
| IBM | Power System E1080 (9080-hex) Firmware | fw1060.00 up to, but not including, fw1060.81 | fw1060.81 |
| IBM | Power System E1180 (9080-heu) Firmware | fw1110.00 up to, but not including, fw1110.31; fw1120.00 | fw1110.31 |
| IBM | Power System S922 (9009-22g) Firmware | fw950.00 up to, but not including, fw950.h3 | fw950.h3 |
| IBM | Power System H922 (9223-22s) Firmware | fw950.00 up to, but not including, fw950.h3 | fw950.h3 |
| IBM | Power System S914 (9009-41g) Firmware | fw950.00 up to, but not including, fw950.h3 | fw950.h3 |
| IBM | Power System S924 (9009-42g) Firmware | fw950.00 up to, but not including, fw950.h3 | fw950.h3 |
| IBM | Power System H924 (9223-42s) Firmware | fw950.00 up to, but not including, fw950.h3 | fw950.h3 |
| IBM | Power System E950 (9040-mr9) Firmware | fw950.00 up to, but not including, fw950.h3 | fw950.h3 |
| IBM | Power System E980 (9080-m9s) Firmware | fw950.00 up to, but not including, fw950.h3 | fw950.h3 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- AdjacentThe attacker must be on the same local network segment.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- LowSome restricted data can be read.
- Integrity
- LowLimited modification of data is possible.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H. Scored by CNA (us.ibm.com).
Official description
IBM Power Systems Firmware FW1120.00, FW1110.00 through FW1110.30, FW1060.00 through FW1060.80, and FW950.00 through FW950.H2 is affected by a vulnerability in the ASMI web interface. An unauthenticated attacker on the management network can cause the ASMI web server to crash with possible memory corruption and generate an error log; hosted partitions are not affected. The ASMI web interface will restart automatically; however, repeated exploitation could result in a sustained loss of access to the ASMI management interface, resulting in an integrity and availability impact.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in Power Systems Firmware
- 7.9 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
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