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IBM i EUVDEUVD-2026-58364

| CVE-2026-16674 HIGH
Untrusted Search Path (CWE-426)
2026-08-13 ibm GHSA-737c-hw7m-jj22
8.8
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: ibm
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Obtain low-privilege IBM i credentials
  2. Delivery
    Connect remotely to IBM i host
  3. Exploit
    Manipulate library list or search path
  4. Execution
    Plant malicious library or program object
  5. Persist
    Privileged process resolves attacker-controlled path
  6. Impact
    Execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A08:2025 - Software or Data Integrity Failures
ASVS 5.0
V13 - Configuration Search path verification
Exploitation Conditions

The attacker must hold a valid IBM i user credential with sufficient authority to influence the search path resolution - for instance, the ability to modify the job's library list or relevant environment settings. The CVSS vector PR:L confirms a low-privilege (standard user) account suffices; administrative rights are not required. Network access to the IBM i host is required (AV:N). No user interaction by a privileged party is needed (UI:N). Exploitation is limited to authenticated sessions; unauthenticated remote attackers cannot directly leverage this flaw. The exact mechanism by which a standard user influences the search path is not described in the available data and should be confirmed via the IBM advisory.

Impact

The CVSS 8.8 rating is internally consistent and credible: AV:N reflects the network-accessible attack surface, AC:L indicates no race conditions or non-default configuration required, and PR:L sets the bar at any valid user credential - a realistic threshold in enterprise IBM i environments that often host numerous service accounts. The full C:H/I:H/A:H impact triad accurately reflects that arbitrary code execution on IBM i can reach all user and system data given the platform's tightly integrated architecture. No EPSS score was provided in the input, preventing a probability-based comparison against the CVSS severity. The absence of a KEV listing and no confirmed public exploit code moderates immediate urgency slightly, but the low-privilege requirement combined with RCE impact makes this a high-priority patch target - IBM i environments frequently run mission-critical batch workloads with infrequent patching cadences, which elevates residual exposure risk. SSVC signals: exploitation status unconfirmed, attack is potentially automatable given AC:L/PR:L/UI:N, and technical impact is total.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker with any valid IBM i user account connects remotely and manipulates the job or system library list to insert a malicious library at higher precedence than a legitimate system library. When a privileged process subsequently resolves a program or command name, it loads and executes the attacker-controlled version, granting arbitrary code execution under the privileges of that process. No public proof-of-concept has been identified, but the technique is well-understood for CWE-426 class vulnerabilities on IBM i environments.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.4% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Aug 13, 2026

Remote code execution in IBM i 7.3 through 7.6 is possible for any authenticated remote attacker who can manipulate an untrusted search path used by privileged system components. The CVSS 8.8 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) confirms network accessibility with minimal privilege prerequisites and no user interaction, yielding full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. Vendor patch is available; no public exploit code or CISA KEV listing has been identified at time of analysis.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor-released patch by following the IBM support page at https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283286, which provides the specific PTF numbers for each affected IBM i release (7.3, 7.4, 7.5, and 7.6). As an interim compensating control pending patch application, restrict remote authenticated access to the IBM i system to only operationally required accounts and enforce least-privilege user profiles to reduce the number of accounts that could be leveraged - note this does not eliminate the vulnerability but shrinks the attacker population. Additionally, audit and lock down library list (*LIBL) manipulation permissions for non-administrative users via CHGUSRPRF or Group Profile controls; removing the ability to alter library lists removes the most common path for CWE-426 exploitation on this platform, though the exact attack vector is not independently confirmed from the description alone.

Affected VersionsENISA

i 7.6
i 7.5
i 7.3
i 7.4

Affected Packages

euvd i no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

IBM i (formerly AS/400, iSeries) is IBM's tightly integrated operating system for Power Systems hardware, widely deployed in financial services, manufacturing, and government. CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path) arises when an application resolves critical executables or libraries through a path that can be attacker-influenced - on IBM i, this commonly involves the job library list (*LIBL) or PATH-equivalent environment variables governing program and shared-object resolution. An authenticated remote user who can influence the library resolution order may cause privileged system components to load and execute attacker-supplied code in place of legitimate system programs. The affected CPE is cpe:2.3:a:ibm:i:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*, covering IBM i 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, and 7.6.

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Severity by source

Vendor (ibm) PRIMARY 8.8 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 8.8 HIGH

Vendor-supplied vector is consistent with description: network-reachable, low-complexity, standard-user credential sufficient, full CIA impact on the vulnerable system.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (ibm).

CVSS VectorVendor: ibm

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionCVE.org

IBM i 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code due to an untrusted search path.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

IBM i systems (versions 7.3-7.6) are vulnerable to authenticated remote code execution with CVSS 8.8, enabling any low-privilege remote attacker to achieve full system compromise without user interaction. This affects organizations running mission-critical IBM i workloads including financial, manufacturing, and enterprise resource planning systems that typically process sensitive operational data. Immediate patching is required to prevent attackers with valid credentials from gaining complete system control.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.4%
Top 66% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
niche enterprise platform, dominant in legacy financial and manufacturing sectors
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.4%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

44
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +44
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.

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