CVE-2026-1579
Unauthenticated MAVLink Messages Allow Remote Shell Access
Publication date: 2026-03-31
Last updated on: 2026-04-07
Assigner: ICS-CERT
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| px4 | autopilot | 1.16.0 |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-306 | The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability exists because the MAVLink communication protocol does not require cryptographic authentication by default. If MAVLink 2.0 message signing is not enabled, any message, including SERIAL_CONTROL which provides interactive shell access, can be sent by an unauthenticated party who has access to the MAVLink interface.
PX4 offers MAVLink 2.0 message signing as a cryptographic authentication mechanism. When this signing is enabled, unsigned messages are rejected at the protocol level, preventing unauthorized message injection.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
If MAVLink 2.0 message signing is not enabled, an attacker with access to the MAVLink interface can send unauthorized messages, including commands that provide interactive shell access. This can lead to full compromise of the affected system, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary commands and potentially take control.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, enable MAVLink 2.0 message signing, which provides cryptographic authentication for all MAVLink communication.
When message signing is enabled, unsigned messages are rejected at the protocol level, preventing unauthenticated parties from sending messages such as SERIAL_CONTROL that provide interactive shell access.