CVE-2026-17216 in IBM
Summary
by MITRE • 08/14/2026
IBM i 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3 could allow a remote attacker to cause a denial of service due to an integer error when processing DRDA large-object headers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2026
This vulnerability affects IBM i operating systems version 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3, presenting a remote denial of service risk through an integer error in DRDA large-object header processing. The issue stems from improper handling of integer values when processing Distributed Relational Database Architecture protocol requests containing large object data structures. When a malicious actor sends specially crafted DRDA packets with malformed large-object headers, the system's integer processing logic fails to properly validate or handle the numeric values, leading to unexpected behavior that can result in system crashes or service unavailability.
The technical flaw manifests as an integer overflow or underflow condition within the database communication layer, specifically during the parsing of DRDA protocol headers that contain large object data. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category for integer overflow and underflow conditions, where the system fails to properly validate integer inputs before processing them in arithmetic operations or memory allocation contexts. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the protocol level, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring local system access or authentication credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption as it can affect database connectivity and application availability for systems relying on IBM i's database services. Organizations utilizing IBM i systems with DRDA-enabled database connections face potential business disruption when attackers exploit this flaw, especially in environments where database availability is critical for operations. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can target vulnerable systems from anywhere on the network, increasing the attack surface and making traditional network segmentation less effective as a protective measure.
Mitigation strategies should focus on applying the latest IBM security patches and updates specifically addressing this DRDA integer error vulnerability. Network administrators should implement firewall rules to restrict unnecessary DRDA protocol access and consider disabling unused database services when possible. Monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual patterns in database connection attempts or malformed DRDA packet structures that could indicate exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1498 technique for network denial of service, emphasizing the importance of implementing robust network segmentation and access controls as part of a comprehensive security posture. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems capable of identifying and alerting on suspicious DRDA protocol traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.