CVE-2026-32724 PX4 autopilot has a heap Use-After-Free in MavlinkShell::available() via SERIAL_CONTROL Race Condition

Medium 5.3 Published 13 Mar 2026 Updated 16 Mar 2026

A race condition in PX4 autopilot allows remote attackers to trigger a heap use-after-free via MAVLink messages, potentially leading to code execution or crashes.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2026-32724?

CVE-2026-32724 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in PX4-Autopilot, published on 13 Mar 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

PX4 autopilot is a flight control solution for drones. Prior to 1.17.0-rc1, a heap-use-after-free is detected in the MavlinkShell::available() function. The issue is caused by a race condition between the MAVLink receiver thread (which handles shell creation/destruction) and the telemetry sender thread (which polls the shell for available output). The issue is remotely triggerable via MAVLink SERIAL_CONTROL messages (ID 126), which can be sent by an external ground station or automated script. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.17.0-rc1.

Weakness: CWE-416

Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-32724?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Dronecode Px4 Drone Autopilot.

How do I fix CVE-2026-32724?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-32724 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.

Is CVE-2026-32724 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-32724 exists.

Sources

Also known as GHSA-j5w2-w79c-mqrw.