Power Systems Firmware: Stack-based Buffer Overflow
CVE-2026-19234 is a high-severity stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Power Systems Firmware from IBM, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. Affected Power Systems Firmware versions: FW1120.00; FW1110.00 through FW1110.30; FW1060.00 through FW1060.80. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.17% 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 S1122 (9824-22a) Firmware to fw1110.31 or a later version.
- Update Power System S1124 (9824-42a) Firmware to fw1110.31 or a later version.
- Update Power System S1122s (9824-22b) Firmware to fw1110.31 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 | Not stated |
| IBM | Power System S1122 (9824-22a) Firmware | fw1110.00 up to, but not including, fw1110.31; fw1120.00 | fw1110.31 |
| IBM | Power System S1124 (9824-42a) Firmware | fw1110.00 up to, but not including, fw1110.31; fw1120.00 | fw1110.31 |
| IBM | Power System S1122s (9824-22b) Firmware | fw1110.00 up to, but not including, fw1110.31; fw1120.00 | fw1110.31 |
| IBM | Power System S1114 (9824-41b) Firmware | fw1110.00 up to, but not including, fw1110.31; fw1120.00 | fw1110.31 |
| IBM | Power System L1122 (9856-22h) Firmware | fw1110.00 up to, but not including, fw1110.31; fw1120.00 | fw1110.31 |
| IBM | Power System L1124 (9856-42h) Firmware | fw1110.00 up to, but not including, fw1110.31; fw1120.00 | fw1110.31 |
| IBM | Power System E1150 (9043-mru) Firmware | fw1110.00 up to, but not including, fw1110.31; fw1120.00 | fw1110.31 |
| IBM | Power System S1112 (9242-21b) Firmware | fw1120.00 | Not stated |
| IBM | Power System S1112 (9242-21t) Firmware | fw1120.00 | Not stated |
| IBM | Power System E1080 (9080-hex) Firmware | fw1060.00 up to, but not including, fw1060.81 | fw1060.81 |
| IBM | Power System S1022 (9105-22a) Firmware | fw1060.00 up to, but not including, fw1060.81 | fw1060.81 |
| IBM | Power System S1024 (9105-42a) Firmware | fw1060.00 up to, but not including, fw1060.81 | fw1060.81 |
| IBM | Power System S1022s (9105-22b) Firmware | fw1060.00 up to, but not including, fw1060.81 | fw1060.81 |
| IBM | Power System S1014 (9105-41b) Firmware | fw1060.00 up to, but not including, fw1060.81 | fw1060.81 |
| IBM | Power System L1022 (9786-22h) Firmware | fw1060.00 up to, but not including, fw1060.81 | fw1060.81 |
| IBM | Power System L1024 (9786-42h) Firmware | fw1060.00 up to, but not including, fw1060.81 | fw1060.81 |
| IBM | Power System E1050 (9043-mrx) Firmware | fw1060.00 up to, but not including, fw1060.81 | fw1060.81 |
| IBM | Power System S1012 (9028-21b) 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 |
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
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (us.ibm.com).
Official description
Power Systems Firmware FW1120.00, FW1110.00 through FW1110.30, and FW1060.00 through FW1060.80 is affected by a vulnerability in the host firmware boot process image validation path. An attacker with service access to the service processor can supply a maliciously crafted code update image, allowing arbitrary code to be executed on the host system. Successful exploitation could result in a confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact to the affected host system.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Stack-based Buffer Overflow
The product writes past the end of a buffer that was allocated on the stack.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.
- Use an abstraction library to abstract away risky APIs. Not a complete solution.
- Implement and perform bounds checking on input.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- 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 Stack-based Buffer Overflow vulnerabilities
- 7.3 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
- 9.6 Critical severity
- 7.8 High severity
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