Skip to content
Patch Next
Sign inAdd to your agent

← Actionable
Medium, CVSS 5.3amended

OpenClaw leaf subagents can bypass controlScope restrictions to send messages to child sessions

CVE-2026-35662GHSA-x2cm-hg9c-mf5w

What to do

Vendor fix available. Upgrade each affected package to the fixed version on its release line (openclaw 2026.3.22), 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.

Add to your agent

Affected packages

  • npm openclaw

    Affected
    < 2026.3.22
    Fixed in
    2026.3.22

Sources

Severity and exploitation
Exploitation
No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.
CVSS 4.0
5.3 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source
EPSS
  • CVE-2026-35662: 0.20% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 9.87 (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 Leaf subagents could still use the send action to message controlled child sessions even when their controlScope was narrower than children. Affected Packages / Versions - Package: openclaw (npm) - Affected: < 2026.3.22 - Fixed: = 2026.3.22 - Latest released tag checked: v2026.3.23-2 (630f1479c44f78484dfa21bb407cbe6f171dac87) - Latest published npm version checked: 2026.3.23-2 Fix Commit(s) - 7679eb375294941b02214c234aff3948796969d0 Release Status The fix shipped in v2026.3.22 and remains present in v2026.3.23 and v2026.3.23-2. Code-Level Confirmation - src/auto-reply/reply/commands-subagents/action-send.ts now threads controller context through the send path. - src/agents/subagent-control.ts now blocks send attempts unless the requester owns the target and has controlScope="children". OpenClaw thanks @space08 for reporting.

Dates and revisions
Published by the source
Last modified by the source
Source last checked
  1. Revision 3 · amended ·

    Amended from ghsa record GHSA-x2cm-hg9c-mf5w

  2. Revision 2 · amended ·

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

  3. Revision 1 · created ·

    Published from osv record GHSA-x2cm-hg9c-mf5w

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-2026-35662

Advisory: OpenClaw leaf subagents can bypass controlScope restrictions to send messages to child sessions
IDs: CVE-2026-35662, GHSA-x2cm-hg9c-mf5w
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-35662 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:48 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.3.22. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected < 2026.3.22; fixed in 2026.3.22

## 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://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-x2cm-hg9c-mf5w (OSV record GHSA-x2cm-hg9c-mf5w lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.3.22 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-x2cm-hg9c-mf5w (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-x2cm-hg9c-mf5w lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.3.22)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.

Loading voting…