IBM AIX 7.2/7.3 & PowerVM 4.1 Local File Overwrite via Symlink
CVE-2026-17171 Published on August 20, 2026
Vulnerabilities in IBM AIX and PowerVM VIOS
IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files due to improper resolution of symbolic links.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-17171 can be exploited with local system access, and requires small amount of user privileges. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to be very high.
Weakness Type
What is an insecure temporary file Vulnerability?
The software attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.
CVE-2026-17171 has been classified to as an insecure temporary file vulnerability or weakness.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-17171
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Affected Versions
IBM AIX:- Version 7.2 is affected.
- Version 7.3 is affected.
- Version 4.1 is affected.