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Critical, CVSS 9.3amended

OpenClaw's gateway connect could skip device identity checks when auth.token was present but not yet validated

CVE-2026-28472GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459

What to do

Vendor fix available. Upgrade each affected package to the fixed version on its release line (openclaw 2026.2.2), redeploy, then verify what is actually installed.

This page has no inventory attached, so it cannot say whether you are affected. A vendor fix is not proof that your deployment is fixed.

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Affected packages

  • npm openclaw

    Affected
    < 2026.2.2
    Fixed in
    2026.2.2

Sources

Severity and exploitation
Exploitation
No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.
CVSS 4.0
9.3 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source
EPSS
  • CVE-2026-28472: 0.41% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 35.54 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.
Source description

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary The gateway WebSocket connect handshake could allow skipping device identity checks when auth.token was present but not yet validated. Details In src/gateway/server/ws-connection/message-handler.ts, the device-identity requirement could be bypassed based on the presence of a non-empty connectParams.auth.token rather than a validated shared-secret authentication result. Impact In deployments where the gateway WebSocket is reachable and connections can be authorized via Tailscale without validating the shared secret, a client could connect without providing device identity/pairing. Depending on version and configuration, this could result in operator access. Deployment Guidance Per OpenClaw security guidance, the gateway should only be reachable from a trusted network and by trusted users (for example, restrict Tailnet users/ACLs when using Tailscale Serve). If the gateway WebSocket is only reachable by trusted users, there is typically no untrusted party with network access to…

Dates and revisions
Published by the source
Last modified by the source
Source last checked
  1. Revision 4 · amended ·

    Amended from ghsa record GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459

  2. Revision 3 · amended ·

    Reviewed OSV alias/range/CVSS4 correction; package source scopes and original publication preserved. No customer finding resolved.

  3. Revision 2 · amended ·

    Amended from osv record GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459

  4. Revision 1 · created ·

    Published from ghsa record GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459

Agent brief

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-28472

Advisory: OpenClaw's gateway connect could skip device identity checks when auth.token was present but not yet validated
IDs: CVE-2026-28472, GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-28472 (revision 4, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:43 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.2.2. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected < 2026.2.2; fixed in 2026.2.2

## 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-rv39-79c4-7459 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.2.2)
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459 (OSV record GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.2.2 (fixed))

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