OpenClaw: WebSocket shared-auth connections could self-declare elevated scopes

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

9.9 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

• CVE-2026-22172: 0.57% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 47.31 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary A logic flaw in the OpenClaw gateway WebSocket connect path allowed certain device-less shared-token or password-authenticated backend connections to keep client-declared scopes without server-side binding. A shared-authenticated client could present elevated scopes such as operator.admin even though those scopes were not tied to a device identity or an explicitly trusted Control UI path. Impact This crossed the intended authorization boundary and could let a shared-secret-authenticated backend client perform admin-only gateway operations. Affected versions openclaw <= 2026.3.11 Patch Fixed in openclaw 2026.3.12. The gateway now clears unbound scopes for non-Control-UI shared-auth connections, and regression tests cover the device-less shared-auth path.

Published by the source

13 Mar 2026, 20:55 UTC

Last modified by the source

20 Mar 2026, 21:26 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:46 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8

2. Revision 2 · amended · 24 Oct 2026

   Amended from osv record GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8

3. Revision 1 · created · 23 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-22172

Advisory: OpenClaw: WebSocket shared-auth connections could self-declare elevated scopes
IDs: CVE-2026-22172, GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-22172 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:46 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.9)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.3.12. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected <= 2026.3.11; fixed in 2026.3.12

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls openclaw --all`: lists every installed copy and version, including transitive ones. Run in the project root after `npm ci`.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on openclaw.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <=2026.3.11)
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8 (OSV record GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.3.12 (fixed))

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