What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-32042?

CVE-2026-32042 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 (High). CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.1%.

Which versions of Openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-32042?

Authenticated users of OpenClaw versions 2026.2.22-2026.2.24 can illegally escalate their privileges to administrator level by bypassing device pairing controls, potentially allowing unauthorized…. A patch is available.

Is there a public PoC exploit available for CVE-2026-32042?

Yes, a public proof-of-concept exploit is available for CVE-2026-32042. Prioritise patching immediately. EPSS: 0.1%.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2026-32042?

Within 24 hours: Identify all systems running OpenClaw 2026.2.22-2026.2.24 and assess exposure scope; notify relevant teams and restrict administrative access where possible. Within 7 days: Apply vendor patch to all affected OpenClaw instances and validate successful deployment through system testing. Within 30 days: Conduct post-patch security validation, review access logs for exploitation indicators, and audit all current administrator role assignments for unauthorized elevation.

Openclaw CVE-2026-32042

EUVD-2026-13933 HIGH

Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863)

2026-03-21 VulnCheck

GHSA-r3gm-fv85-xjqj

Privilege Escalation Authentication Bypass Openclaw

8.8

CVSS 3.1 · NVD

Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY

8.8 HIGH

AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

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

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Lifecycle Timeline

PoC Detected

Mar 23, 2026 - 17:10 vuln.today

Public exploit code

EUVD ID Assigned

Mar 21, 2026 - 01:00 euvd

EUVD-2026-13933

Analysis Generated

Mar 21, 2026 - 01:00 vuln.today

Patch released

Mar 21, 2026 - 01:00 nvd

Patch available

CVE Published

Mar 21, 2026 - 00:42 nvd

HIGH 8.8

DescriptionCVE.org

OpenClaw versions 2026.2.22 prior to 2026.2.25 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability allowing unpaired device identities to bypass operator pairing requirements and self-assign elevated operator scopes including operator.admin. Attackers with valid shared gateway authentication can present a self-signed unpaired device identity to request and obtain higher operator scopes before pairing approval is granted.

AnalysisAI

OpenClaw versions 2026.2.22 through 2026.2.24 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows authenticated attackers to bypass device pairing requirements and self-assign elevated operator.admin scopes. Attackers with valid shared gateway authentication credentials can present self-signed unpaired device identities to obtain administrator privileges before pairing approval is granted. This is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) with a patch available from the vendor.

Technical ContextAI

OpenClaw is an authentication and device management system (cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw) that implements operator pairing workflows for device identity verification. This vulnerability stems from CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), where the system fails to properly enforce authorization checks during the device pairing process. The flaw exists in the shared gateway authentication mechanism, which incorrectly validates device identity claims before pairing approval completion. The system accepts self-signed device identities and grants elevated operator scopes including operator.admin without verifying that the device has completed the required pairing approval workflow. This represents a classic authorization bypass where authentication (proving you have valid gateway credentials) is confused with authorization (verifying you should have admin privileges).

RemediationAI

Upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.2.25 or later, which contains the fix for this privilege escalation vulnerability. The patch is available at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/8d1481cb4a9d31bd617e52dc8c392c35689d9dea and addresses the incorrect authorization checks in the device pairing workflow. Refer to the official GitHub Security Advisory at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-553v-f69r-656j for complete upgrade instructions. As an interim mitigation until patching is complete, organizations should implement additional network-level access controls to restrict shared gateway authentication endpoints to trusted IP ranges, monitor for unusual device pairing requests or rapid operator scope elevation activities, and review existing operator assignments for unauthorized admin scope grants. Consider temporarily disabling shared gateway authentication if it is not operationally critical until the upgrade can be completed.