---
title: "CVE-2026-16338: IBM DataStage - Unrestricted File Upload"
description: "IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data 5.4.0.0 contains an unrestricted file write vulnerability caused by improper validation of file paths, letting remote authenticated attackers write arbitrary files."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-16338/
---

# CVE-2026-16338 IBM DataStage - Unrestricted File Upload

IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data 5.4.0.0 contains an unrestricted file write vulnerability caused by improper validation of file paths, letting remote authenticated attackers write arbitrary files.

CVSS base score 9.9 /10

Critical

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Required

EPSS

0.44% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16338)

## Details

Type

Unrestricted File Upload

Impact

File System Write, Data Tampering

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Published

14 September 2026

Updated

15 October 2026

Weakness

[CWE-73](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/73.html)

## Vendor fix

Update to the latest version of IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16338](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16338)
- [https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7286562](https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7286562)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

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