OpenClaw's gateway config mutation guard allowed unsafe model-driven config writes

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2026-45006: 0.49% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 42.16 (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 The agent-facing gateway tool protects config.apply and config.patch with a model-to-operator trust boundary. That guard used a hand-maintained denylist of protected config paths. The config schema outgrew that denylist, leaving sensitive subtrees writable through model-driven gateway config mutations. Impact A prompt-injected or otherwise compromised model running with access to the owner-only gateway tool could persist unsafe config changes that crossed security boundaries. Examples included config paths affecting command execution, network/proxy/TLS behavior, credential forwarding, telemetry or hook endpoints, memory/indexing surfaces, and operator policy controls. These changes could survive restart once written to config. Affected Packages / Versions - Package: openclaw on npm - Affected: versions before 2026.4.23 - Fixed: 2026.4.23 - Latest stable verified fixed: openclaw@2026.4.23, tag v2026.4.23 Fix OpenClaw replaced the denylist with a fail-closed allowlist.…

Published by the source

5 May 2026, 18:44 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 Jul 2026, 08:12 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:52 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-cwj3-vqpp-pmxr

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-cwj3-vqpp-pmxr

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-45006

Advisory: OpenClaw's gateway config mutation guard allowed unsafe model-driven config writes
IDs: CVE-2026-45006, GHSA-cwj3-vqpp-pmxr
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-45006 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:52 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.8)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.4.23. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected < 2026.4.23; fixed in 2026.4.23

## 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-cwj3-vqpp-pmxr (OSV record GHSA-cwj3-vqpp-pmxr lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.4.23 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cwj3-vqpp-pmxr (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-cwj3-vqpp-pmxr lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.4.23)

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