CVE-2026-17417 in IBM
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2026
IBM i 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands due to improper neutralization of shell metacharacters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2026
This vulnerability exists within IBM i operating systems versions 7.6, 7.5, 7.4, and 7.3 where an authenticated attacker can exploit a command injection flaw through improper handling of shell metacharacters. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly neutralize special characters used in shell command execution contexts. When user-supplied data containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks is processed without adequate escaping or filtering, it can be interpreted by the underlying shell as command separators or operators rather than literal input data.
The technical implementation of this flaw allows an attacker who has already established authentication credentials to manipulate system commands through vulnerable interfaces that accept user input and subsequently pass it to shell execution functions. This creates a path for arbitrary code execution where malicious payloads can be injected and executed with the privileges of the authenticated user, potentially escalating to system-level access depending on the target application's privilege model. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-78 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special characters used in shell commands, making it a classic command injection vulnerability.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability can enable attackers to execute malicious commands on affected systems, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or persistence mechanisms establishment. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the system, and the authenticated requirement reduces the attack surface while still maintaining significant risk potential since legitimate users may have elevated privileges. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, install backdoors, or conduct further reconnaissance activities within the network environment.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms across all interfaces that process user-supplied data destined for shell execution contexts. Organizations should ensure that all user inputs are properly escaped or filtered before being passed to shell commands, implementing principle of least privilege access controls, and regularly updating systems with vendor-provided security patches. Additionally, monitoring and logging of command execution activities can help detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts, while network segmentation and firewall rules can limit lateral movement if compromise occurs. This vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques related to command and scripting interpreter execution, emphasizing the importance of proper input handling in preventing arbitrary code execution scenarios.