9.3
CRITICAL CVSS 4.0
CVE-2026-26011
Critical Heap Out-of-bounds Access in `pf_cluster_stats()` via Malicious /initialpose Covariance -- Potential Remote Code Execution
Description

navigation2 is a ROS 2 Navigation Framework and System. In 1.3.11 and earlier, a critical heap out-of-bounds write vulnerability exists in Nav2 AMCL's particle filter clustering logic. By publishing a single crafted geometry_msgs/PoseWithCovarianceStamped message with extreme covariance values to the /initialpose topic, an unauthenticated attacker on the same ROS 2 DDS domain can trigger a negative index write (set->clusters[-1]) into heap memory preceding the allocated buffer. In Release builds, the sole boundary check (assert) is compiled out, leaving zero runtime protection. This primitive allows controlled corruption of the heap chunk metadata(at least the size of the heap chunk where the set->clusters is in is controllable by the attacker), potentially leading to further exploitation. At minimum, it provides a reliable single-packet denial of service that kills localization and halts all navigation.

INFO

Published Date :

Feb. 12, 2026, 9:16 p.m.

Last Modified :

Feb. 12, 2026, 9:16 p.m.

Remotely Exploit :

Yes !
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2026-26011 vulnerability. Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the products that are affected, the information is not represented in the table below.

No affected product recoded yet

CVSS Scores
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is a standardized framework for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities in software and systems. We collect and displays CVSS scores from various sources for each CVE.
Score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Score Impact Score Source
CVSS 4.0 CRITICAL [email protected]
Solution
Update Nav2 AMCL to patch heap out-of-bounds write vulnerability. Apply necessary security configurations.
  • Update Nav2 AMCL to version 1.3.12 or later.
  • Apply vendor-recommended security configurations.
  • Monitor system integrity after applying updates.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to CVE-2026-26011.

URL Resource
https://github.com/ros-navigation/navigation2/commit/d09ea82477ce9234678a6febf6890235e0a7ce12
https://github.com/ros-navigation/navigation2/releases/tag/1.3.11
https://github.com/ros-navigation/navigation2/security/advisories/GHSA-mgj5-g2p6-gc5x
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-26011 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-26011 weaknesses.

We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).

Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.

The following list is the news that have been mention CVE-2026-26011 vulnerability anywhere in the article.

The following table lists the changes that have been made to the CVE-2026-26011 vulnerability over time.

Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.

  • New CVE Received by [email protected]

    Feb. 12, 2026

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Description navigation2 is a ROS 2 Navigation Framework and System. In 1.3.11 and earlier, a critical heap out-of-bounds write vulnerability exists in Nav2 AMCL's particle filter clustering logic. By publishing a single crafted geometry_msgs/PoseWithCovarianceStamped message with extreme covariance values to the /initialpose topic, an unauthenticated attacker on the same ROS 2 DDS domain can trigger a negative index write (set->clusters[-1]) into heap memory preceding the allocated buffer. In Release builds, the sole boundary check (assert) is compiled out, leaving zero runtime protection. This primitive allows controlled corruption of the heap chunk metadata(at least the size of the heap chunk where the set->clusters is in is controllable by the attacker), potentially leading to further exploitation. At minimum, it provides a reliable single-packet denial of service that kills localization and halts all navigation.
    Added CVSS V4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
    Added CWE CWE-787
    Added CWE CWE-122
    Added Reference https://github.com/ros-navigation/navigation2/commit/d09ea82477ce9234678a6febf6890235e0a7ce12
    Added Reference https://github.com/ros-navigation/navigation2/releases/tag/1.3.11
    Added Reference https://github.com/ros-navigation/navigation2/security/advisories/GHSA-mgj5-g2p6-gc5x
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days. Following chart shows the EPSS score history of the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Scoring Details
Base CVSS Score: 9.3
Attack Vector
Attack Complexity
Attack Requirements
Privileges Required
User Interaction
VS Confidentiality
VS Integrity
VS Availability
SS Confidentiality
SS Integrity
SS Availability