# CVE-2026-1579: PX4 Autopilot Missing authentication for critical function

> Unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary commands via MAVLink if message signing is disabled, requiring configuration changes to enable authentication.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 31 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 31 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vcq6-mmfw-5xm3

## What is CVE-2026-1579?

CVE-2026-1579 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in PX4 Autopilot, published on 31 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The MAVLink communication protocol does not require cryptographic 
authentication by default. When 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 with
 access to the MAVLink interface. PX4 provides MAVLink 2.0 message 
signing as the cryptographic authentication mechanism for all MAVLink 
communication. When signing is enabled, unsigned messages are rejected 
at the protocol level.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-1579?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Px4 Autopilot.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-1579?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-1579 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-1579 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-1579 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-1579 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-1579 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in PX4 Autopilot, published on 31 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-1579 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: PX4 Autopilot. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1579/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1579/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-1579
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-1579
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-1579

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1579/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.