• Guru: Two More Small But Handy RPG Enhancements: LIKE(*EXT) And %LOOKUPNE

  September 28, 2026 Gregory Simmons

  Not every trip into the field calls for hauling the whole pack, and not every search calls for scanning everything by hand. Two of the smaller enhancements in this batch of July PTFs for IBM i 7.5 and 7.6 are exactly that kind of quiet convenience: tools that let you reach for just the piece you actually need instead of doing more work than the job requires.

  DISCLAIMER: The mushroom names and file/field names used in the examples below are purely to give the sample programs some context and make them more interesting. Before foraging for or consuming any wild …

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• IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 28, Number 33

  September 28, 2026 Doug Bidwell

  Welcome to the 33^rd edition of 2026 of the IBM i PTF Guide. The good news is that there are lot fewer security vulnerabilities for the IBM i platform that we reported on last week. There are, once again, updates to IBM i 7.3 through IBM i 7.6 for various PTF groups.

  We will start with the security issues and patches, and count them off to keep track of them.

  1. Security Bulletin: Multiple Vulnerabilities in IBM Java SDK affect IBM WebSphere Application Server and WebSphere Application Server Liberty due to August 2026 CPU, which is available to …

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• IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 28, Number 32

  September 21, 2026 Doug Bidwell

  Another week, and another bunch of security vulnerabilities for the IBM i platform. Plus a slew of stuff to update IBM i 7.3 through IBM i 7.6. Let us start with the security issues and patches, as we always do, and count them off to 11 so we can keep track of them.

  1. Security Bulletin: IBM Db2 Mirror for i is vulnerable to Authentication Bypass by Spoofing [CVE-2026-18065], which you can read HERE. Affected Products and Versions:

  IBM i Release	5770-DBM 	PTF Numbers
  7.6				SJ11475
  7.5				SJ11474 
  7.4				SJ11471 
  

  2. Security Bulletin: IBM i Is Affected By Multiple …

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• IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 28, Number 31

  September 14, 2026 Doug Bidwell

  Big Blue is dumping a bunch of security vulnerabilities into your lap again, this time just ahead of the Labor Day holiday in the United States. We did not publish that week because we were on holiday, so we are playing catch up just like you now will be.

  Let’s start with the Security Bulletin: IBM i is Affected By Improper Authorization and Authentication Vulnerabilities in DDM / DRDA [CVE-2026-18175, CVE-2026-18221], which you can find HERE. Affected Products and Versions:

  IBM i Release	5770-SS1 	PTF Number(s)
  7.6			        SJ11231
  			        SJ11230
  7.5			        SJ11232
  			        SJ11233
  7.4			        SJ11262
  			        SJ11261	
  7.3			        SJ11234
  			        SJ11235
  

  Security …

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• IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 28, Number 30

  August 31, 2026 Doug Bidwell

  After the deluge of the past two weeks with so many security vulnerabilities and patches for the IBM i platform, you are going to get an easier week now. This may or may not have to do with the vacation schedules of IBMers who try to kill bugs, or it may have to do with the impending Labor Day holiday in the United States.

  Who knows? Take the easy week while you have it. We are off next week for the holiday, and we will catch you up on the patches and vulnerabilities when we return on September 14.

  Here …

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• IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 28, Number 29

  August 24, 2026 Doug Bidwell

  IBM laid a lot of PTF work on you last week, and this week is also a heavy one. So brace yourself. There are six security vulnerabilities in the IBM i stack and several other issues that you should be aware of. Let’s start with the random issues and then do the security issues.

  First, known issues (APARs) have been fixed for IBM i Access Client Solutions, ACS 1.1.9.15 (ACS11915), and here is the Klingon that describes it: DT498800 OSP-UNPRED MSGSSL007 – AN ERROR OCCURRED WITH AN SSL CERTIFICATE (JAVA.NIO.FILE.ATTRIBUTE.USERPRINCIPALNOTFOUNDEXCEPTION). I am not sure why they have to shout, but …

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• IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 28, Number 27

  August 10, 2026 Doug Bidwell

  Welcome to this week. You have some issues with IBM i Access Client Services to deal with as well as a new security bulletin.

  Let’s start with the ACS updates, which are rolled up into ACS 1.1.9.14 and which you can read more about at this link. All prior versions are vulnerable to:

  • Arbitrary code execution on Windows when installed for all users due to publicly writeable directory and configuration file.
  • Injection of rogue certificate authority due to publicly writeable truststore.
  • Zip slip path traversal exploit when importing a configuration.
  • Versions 1.1.8.3 through 1.1.9.13 are vulnerable to downloading unverified

  …

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• IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 28, Number 26

  August 3, 2026 Doug Bidwell

  It is a relatively quiet week in IBM i PTF Land, which is a bit of a relief after all the stuff that was going on last week with s slew of updates and patches as well as the release of the summer batch of Technology Refreshes for the IBM i platform.

  To begin with, the latest System Planning Tool, version 6.26.212.0, is now available for download at https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/632531. So have at it and have fun configuring up those new Power11 machines. . . .

  We also have a new security vulnerability in the IBM i stack. Check it …

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• IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 28, Number 25

  July 27, 2026 Doug Bidwell

  Brace yourself, there is a lot of IBM i Technology Refreshes, patches, security vulnerabilities, and other stuff you need to deal with this week.

  Let’s start by pointing you to the Technology Refreshes. You can get more detailed information on the IBM i 7.6 Technology Refresh 2 enhancements at https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-i-76-tr2-enhancements and on the IBM i 7.5 Technology Refresh 8 enhancements at https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-i-75-tr8-enhancements.

  There are also cumulative packages for the currently supported IBM i releases, as follows:

  • The latest cumulative package for 7.6 is C6190760
  • The latest cumulative package for 7.5 is C6197750
  • The latest cumulative package for 7.4 is

  …

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• IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 28, Numbers 23 And 24

  July 20, 2026 Doug Bidwell

  It is Ketchup Week here at the IBM i PTF Guide once again, and Big Blue made it a little more interesting by announcing the Technology Refreshes for IBM i 7.6 and IBM i 7.5 last week.

  Let’s dive in, starting with Volume 28, Number 23, dated July 11 and beginning with two bugs and two security vulnerabilities you need to be aware of.

  First, we have Security Bulletin: Multiple vulnerabilities in IBM Rational Developer for i, which you can find out more about here. IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now by upgrading. This upgrade fixes 15+ CVE …

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