PX4-Autopilot: Use After Free
CVE-2026-86713 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in PX4-Autopilot from PX4, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 out of 10. It can be exploited from the same local network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected PX4-Autopilot versions: 1.17.0 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.38% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of PX4-Autopilot you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| PX4 | PX4-Autopilot | 1.17.0 and earlier | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- AdjacentThe attacker must be on the same local network segment.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- LowLimited modification of data is possible.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 7.1 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.1 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
Official description
PX4 Autopilot through 1.17.0 contains a use-after-free vulnerability in the load_mon module's stop path where exit_and_cleanup() deletes the LoadMon object and frees the performance counter before perf_end() attempts to access it. Attackers can trigger this vulnerability by issuing the load_mon stop command from any PXH or MAVLink shell, causing reads and writes through freed memory that corrupt heap objects and destabilize the flight stack.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
References
Patches and release notes
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in PX4-Autopilot
- 8.0 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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