Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain BMC/FSP privileged credentials
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Deliveryaccess management interface on target Power system
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Exploittrigger integer overflow in host interface handler
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Executioncraft out-of-bounds memory read/write request
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Persistaccess arbitrary host physical memory
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Impactcompromise host OS and all hosted LPARs
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Integer overflow checks
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires an attacker to already hold a service account or root-level credential on the BMC/FSP management processor - this is the critical gatekeeping condition. The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have access to the BMC/FSP interface, which is typically exposed only on a dedicated management network or via direct physical connection. The vulnerability exists in the interface between the BMC/FSP and the host system regardless of host OS configuration, meaning no special host-side configuration is required once BMC/FSP access is obtained. Limiting factors include: (1) PR:H - requires service account or root on the management processor, not merely network adjacency; (2) AV:L - management network segmentation raises the bar significantly; (3) UI:N - no user interaction required, so once credentials are available exploitation is immediate and silent. The affected product versions span FW950 through FW1120 and OP940, so unpatched systems across all these trains are vulnerable. |
| Impact | The CVSS 3.1 vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H scores 8.2 and accurately reflects the attack profile: local vector with high privilege required on the BMC/FSP, but scope change (S:C) captures the critical escalation from the management plane to the host system. The high privilege requirement (service account or root on the BMC/FSP, not the host OS) is the primary limiting factor - it confines initial attacker footprint to those with legitimate or compromised management-plane access. However, once that bar is cleared, the attack is low-complexity (AC:L) and requires no user interaction. There is no EPSS data provided, no CISA KEV listing, and no public proof-of-concept identified; risk is therefore driven primarily by CVSS signals and the severity of the scope-change impact rather than observed exploitation activity. In environments running IBM Power systems in multi-tenant or shared hosting configurations (common in financial and government sectors), the potential to compromise all hosted LPARs from a single BMC credential makes this a high-priority remediation despite the elevated privilege prerequisite. The integer overflow root cause (CWE-190) is a well-understood and reliably exploitable class once an attacker reaches the vulnerable interface. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has obtained service account or root credentials to an IBM Power system's BMC/FSP management interface - whether through credential theft, a compromised jump host, or insider access - sends a crafted memory operation request that triggers the integer overflow in the FSP-to-host interface boundary logic. The overflow causes the firmware to service read and write operations against arbitrary physical memory addresses on the host system, allowing the attacker to extract cryptographic keys, credentials, or sensitive data from running LPARs, or to inject malicious code into the host OS or hypervisor, achieving complete host compromise across all partitions. No public proof-of-concept is known, but the attack primitive (crafted BMC/FSP interface call exploiting CWE-190) is within reach of an attacker with firmware reversing capability. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Aug 19, 2026
Full host-system memory access in IBM Power Systems Firmware allows a privileged BMC/FSP attacker to read and write arbitrary regions of host memory, yielding complete control over the host and all hosted logical partitions. Affected firmware spans multiple generations including FW1120.00, FW1110.x, FW1060.x, FW950.x, and OP940.x lines covering Power9 and Power HMC platforms. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, and CISA KEV listing is absent, though the scope-changing impact (S:C) and full C/I/A triad make this a critical priority for any environment where BMC/FSP access is not tightly controlled.
RemediationAI
IBM has released patches for the affected firmware lines, confirmed via the vendor advisory at https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7283216. Organizations should apply the patched firmware as the primary remediation; the exact minimum fixed firmware version for each affected train is documented in that advisory and should be verified directly - the input data does not specify exact fix versions beyond confirming patch availability. As an interim compensating control pending firmware update, organizations should audit and restrict BMC/FSP service account credentials to the minimum required personnel, enforce multi-factor authentication for BMC/FSP management interfaces where supported, segment BMC/FSP management networks from general administrative networks using dedicated management VLANs or out-of-band networks, and review audit logs for unexpected BMC/FSP service account activity. Note that network segmentation of the management interface mitigates remote credential theft but does not eliminate risk from insider threats or already-compromised management credentials.
Affected VersionsENISA
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Technical ContextAI · show details
IBM Power Systems use a Flexible Service Processor (FSP) or Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) as an out-of-band management layer that operates independently of the host OS. The interface between this management layer and the host system provides mechanisms for firmware-level diagnostics and control. CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound) identifies the root cause: an arithmetic boundary error in this interface allows crafted requests to overflow memory address or length calculations, causing the firmware to service memory read/write operations outside the intended safe region of host memory. Because the BMC/FSP operates at a privilege level below the host OS and hypervisor, successful exploitation escapes the management-plane isolation boundary. The CPE cpe:2.3:a:ibm:power_systems_firmware identifies this as a software-layer flaw in IBM's proprietary firmware stack rather than a hardware microarchitecture bug.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local vector and high privilege required on BMC/FSP; scope changes to host, with full C/I/A impact across all hosted partitions.
Primary rating from Vendor (ibm).
CVSS VectorVendor: ibm
DescriptionCVE.org
IBM Power Systems Firmware FW1120.00, FW1110.00 through FW1110.30, FW1060.00 through FW1060.80, FW950.00 through FW950.H2, OP940.00 through OP940.a1 (Power9), and OP940.00 through OP940.81 (Power HMC) is affected by a vulnerability in the interface between the BMC/FSP and the host system. An attacker with service account or root access to the BMC/FSP can read and write arbitrary regions of host system memory, giving full control over the host system and all hosted partitions, resulting in a confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Executive ViewAI
IBM Power Systems Firmware across multiple generations (Power9, Power HMC platforms) contains a memory access vulnerability allowing privileged BMC/FSP attackers complete read and write access to host system memory and all hosted logical partitions. Organizations running affected firmware versions face total compromise of critical infrastructure if BMC/FSP access controls are not strictly enforced.
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Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Integer overflow occurs when an arithmetic operation produces a result that exceeds the maximum value a given integer type can store.
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
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NVD
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