Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessAuthenticate as command-authorized non-owner
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ExploitSend request to /config or /debug handler
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ExecutionBypass owner permission checks
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ImpactRead or modify privileged configuration settings
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Authorization logic validation
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Privilege Escalation The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Attacker must have command authorization in OpenClaw before version 2026.3.12. Requires authenticated access with command privileges (non-owner account). No victim interaction needed. Affects /config and /debug command handlers allowing unauthorized access to owner-only settings. |
| Impact | The CVSS 4.0 score of 8.7 reflects high severity driven by network attack vector (AV:N), low complexity (AC:L), and high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability (VC:H/VI:H/VA:H). However, the attack requires low-level privileges (PR:L), meaning attackers must first obtain command authorization credentials, which significantly constrains the attack surface compared to unauthenticated vulnerabilities. No EPSS score is provided, and KEV status is not confirmed, indicating no evidence of active exploitation at time of analysis. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, though the GitHub Security Advisory and VulnCheck publication mean technical details are publicly documented, lowering exploitation barriers for insiders or attackers who have already compromised low-privilege accounts. From an SSVC perspective: exploitation status is public (advisory published), automatable is likely YES given simple HTTP requests to documented endpoints, and technical impact is total given the ability to modify owner-level configurations. Real-world risk is HIGH for organizations using OpenClaw where insider threats or credential compromise are concerns, but MODERATE in environments with strong perimeter controls since initial command-level access is prerequisite. This is a genuine priority for OpenClaw deployments, not a theoretical high-CVSS issue, because the exploitation path is straightforward once an attacker obtains any legitimate command authorization. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has obtained legitimate command authorization credentials (either through phishing, credential stuffing, or insider access) authenticates to the OpenClaw application over the network. Despite holding only command-level privileges, the attacker directly requests the /config endpoint and successfully retrieves owner-restricted configuration data, including sensitive parameters such as API keys, database connection strings, or security settings. The attacker then modifies critical configurations via the same endpoint-for example, disabling security features, adding backdoor administrative accounts, or redirecting data flows to attacker-controlled systems. Because the vulnerability requires only low-complexity HTTP requests to documented endpoints and no user interaction, exploitation is straightforward for anyone with command credentials, making this particularly dangerous in environments with multiple privilege tiers or where former employees retain low-level access. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Mar 29, 2026
Privilege escalation in OpenClaw versions before 2026.3.12 allows authenticated users with command authorization to access owner-restricted configuration and debug endpoints due to missing permission checks. Attackers can read and modify privileged settings intended only for owners, effectively bypassing role-based access controls. CVSS 8.7 (High) with EPSS data unavailable; no public exploit identified at time of analysis, though the vulnerability class (CWE-863: incorrect authorization) is commonly targeted once disclosed.
RemediationAI
Upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.3.12 or later, which contains vendor-released patches implementing proper owner-level permission checks in the /config and /debug command handlers. The fix version is explicitly documented in the GitHub Security Advisory (https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-r7vr-gr74-94p8). Organizations unable to immediately upgrade should implement compensating controls: restrict network access to the affected endpoints using firewall rules or reverse proxy ACLs, audit all accounts with command authorization to ensure minimum necessary privileges, enable comprehensive logging for /config and /debug endpoint access to detect exploitation attempts, and review recent access logs for unauthorized configuration changes by non-owner accounts. No workaround can fully mitigate the vulnerability without code-level fixes, making timely patching the definitive remediation strategy.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in npm
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
OpenClaw implements a role-based access control system with distinct permission levels: command-authorized users and owners. The vulnerability exists in the /config and /debug command handlers, which fail to implement owner-level permission checks before granting access to privileged operations. This is a classic CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization) flaw where authentication is verified (users must have command authorization) but subsequent authorization checks fail to validate whether the authenticated principal possesses owner-level privileges. The affected product is OpenClaw (CPE: cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*) across all versions prior to 2026.3.12. The /config endpoint likely exposes application configuration parameters, while /debug surfaces typically provide diagnostic information or debugging capabilities that could reveal sensitive system details or allow runtime modification of application behavior.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionCVE.org
OpenClaw before 2026.3.12 contains an insufficient access control vulnerability in the /config and /debug command handlers that allows command-authorized non-owners to access owner-only surfaces. Attackers with command authorization can read or modify privileged configuration settings restricted to owners by exploiting missing owner-level permission checks.
Blast Radius
ecosystem impact- 1 npm packages depend on openclaw (1 direct, 0 indirect)
Ecosystem-wide dependent count for version 2026.3.12.
Executive ViewAI
OpenClaw versions before 2026.3.12 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability allowing authenticated command-authorized users to bypass role-based access controls and access owner-only configuration and debug endpoints. This directly undermines administrative access controls, enabling credential theft, system reconfiguration, and potential lateral movement for any user with basic command permissions.
Apply vendor patch. If immediate patching is not feasible: (1) restrict network access to OpenClaw administration interfaces to whitelisted administrative IP ranges; (2) enforce multi-factor authentication for all OpenClaw user accounts; (3) enable and monitor debug and configuration endpoint access logs for anomalous activity by non-owner accounts; (4) disable debug endpoints if operationally feasible until patching is complete.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.
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EUVD-2026-16995
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
GitHub
VulDB
Exploit-DB