OpenClaw: Unauthorized Telegram Senders Trigger Media Download and Disk Write Before Access Check

Exploitation

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

CVSS

not scored

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Impact In Telegram DM mode, inbound media was downloaded and written to disk before sender authorization checks completed. An unauthorized sender could trigger inbound media download/write activity (including media groups) even when DM access should be denied. Affected Packages / Versions - Package: openclaw (npm) - Latest published version currently affected: 2026.2.23 - Vulnerable range: <= 2026.2.23 - Patched in planned next release: 2026.2.24 Fix Commit(s) - 9514201fb9b51de5d0b23151110d0ff5d9c8bd67 Technical Details The Telegram handler flow now enforces DM authorization before media download/write paths execute, including media-group handling. Inbound channel activity tracking was also moved to run after DM authorization in the Telegram message context path. Release Process Note patchedversions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.24). After npm publish, the advisory can be published without further version-field edits. OpenClaw thanks @v8hid for reporting. Publication…

Published by the source

3 Mar 2026, 19:08 UTC

Last modified by the source

4 Mar 2026, 15:15 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:42 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-h656-5vcf-cm23

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-h656-5vcf-cm23

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# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-h656-5vcf-cm23

Advisory: OpenClaw: Unauthorized Telegram Senders Trigger Media Download and Disk Write Before Access Check
IDs: GHSA-h656-5vcf-cm23
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-h656-5vcf-cm23 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:42 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Unrated
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.2.24. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected <= 2026.2.23; fixed in 2026.2.24

## 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-h656-5vcf-cm23 (OSV record GHSA-h656-5vcf-cm23 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.2.24 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-h656-5vcf-cm23 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-h656-5vcf-cm23 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <=2026.2.23)

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