OpenClaw: Agent gateway config mutations could change protected operator settings

Exploitation

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

CVSS 4.0

6.0 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2026-45001: 0.22% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 12.32 (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.

Affected Packages / Versions - Package: openclaw (npm) - Affected versions: < 2026.4.20 - Patched version: 2026.4.20 Impact The agent-facing gateway config.patch / config.apply guard did not cover several operator-trusted settings, including sandbox policy, plugin enablement, gateway auth/TLS, hook routing, MCP server configuration, SSRF policy, and filesystem hardening. A prompt-injected model with access to the owner-only gateway tool could persist changes to those settings. This is a model-to-operator guard bypass, not a remote unauthenticated gateway compromise. Severity is medium. Fix OpenClaw now blocks model-driven gateway config mutations for the broader operator-trusted path set and covers per-agent overrides and array-entry patching. Fix commit: - fe30b31a97a917ecc6e92f6c85378b6b20352422 Release Fixed in OpenClaw 2026.4.20.

Published by the source

25 Apr 2026, 23:51 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 Jul 2026, 08:12 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:51 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-7jm2-g593-4qrc

2. Revision 2 · amended · 24 Oct 2026

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

3. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-7jm2-g593-4qrc

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

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-45001

Advisory: OpenClaw: Agent gateway config mutations could change protected operator settings
IDs: CVE-2026-45001, GHSA-7jm2-g593-4qrc
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-45001 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:51 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 6.0)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.4.20. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected < 2026.4.20; fixed in 2026.4.20

## 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-7jm2-g593-4qrc (OSV record GHSA-7jm2-g593-4qrc lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.4.20 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7jm2-g593-4qrc (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-7jm2-g593-4qrc lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.4.20)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.