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CVE-2016-8972
IBM AIX 6.1, 7.1, and 7.2 could allow a local user to gain root privileges using a specially crafted command within the bellmail client.…
High7.8Public exploitEPSS 1.4%
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- ibm
Description
IBM AIX 6.1, 7.1, and 7.2 could allow a local user to gain root privileges using a specially crafted command within the bellmail client. IBM APARs: IV91006, IV91007, IV91008, IV91010, IV91011.
Public exploit
A reference of the record is tagged as an exploit or proof of concept: anyone can try it against an unpatched system.
- 40950 (opens in a new tab)exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBx_transferred
Timeline
ID reserved
By ibm
- 4 months later
· 4 months later
Published
- 7 years later
· 7 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.0 | High7.8 | CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 1.4% · top 28% of all CVEs (8 Nov 2026)
Loading the EPSS history…
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 7.8.
Weakness
- Gain Privileges
- CWE-264 (opens in a new tab)All about CWE-264 and its CVEs
Affected products
- affected 6.1
- affected 7.1
- affected 7.2
References (4)
- 1037480 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKx_transferred
- http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/bellmail_advisory.asc (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- 94979 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDx_transferred
- 40950 (opens in a new tab)exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2016-8972)Record last updated .