Use After Free in IBM Aix

CVE-2026-16851

IBM AIX 7.2, and 7.3 and IBM PowerVM VIOS 4.1 could allow a remote attacker to cause a denial of service due to a use-after-free.

Vulnerability class: Use-After-Free

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.4 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H.

Affected products

Ibm Aix — versions 7.2, 7.3
Ibm Powervm Vios — versions 4.1

Weakness classification (CWE)

CWE-416 — Use After Free

References

psirt@us.ibm.com (vendor-advisory, patch)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-16851?: CVE-2026-16851 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM Aix, classified under Use After Free. CVSS score: 7.4/10. Published 2026-08-19.
How severe is CVE-2026-16851?: High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.4 out of 10.