Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-40045?

Yes, a patch is available for CVE-2026-40045. Update the affected software to the latest version immediately.

Openclaw CVE-2026-40045

Q: What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-40045?

CVE-2026-40045 has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 5.9 (Medium). CVSS vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.0%.

MEDIUM

Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information (CWE-319)

2026-04-21 disclosure@vulncheck.com

Information Disclosure Openclaw

5.9

CVSS 4.0 · NVD

Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY

5.9 MEDIUM

CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

Attack Vector

Adjacent

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

Scope

Lifecycle Timeline

Patch released

Apr 21, 2026 - 02:30 nvd

Patch available

Analysis Generated

Apr 21, 2026 - 00:39 vuln.today

Analysis Generated

Apr 21, 2026 - 00:22 vuln.today

CVE Published

Apr 21, 2026 - 00:16 nvd

MEDIUM 5.9

Blast Radius

ecosystem impact

† from your stack dependencies † transitive graph · vuln.today resolves 4-path depth

5 npm packages depend on openclaw (5 direct, 0 indirect)

Ecosystem-wide dependent count for version 2026.4.2.

DescriptionCVE.org

OpenClaw before 2026.4.2 accepts non-loopback cleartext ws:// gateway endpoints and transmits stored gateway credentials over unencrypted connections. Attackers can forge discovery results or craft setup codes to redirect clients to malicious endpoints, disclosing plaintext gateway credentials.

AnalysisAI

OpenClaw before version 2026.4.2 transmits stored gateway credentials over unencrypted WebSocket (ws://) connections when accepting non-loopback endpoints, allowing adjacent network attackers with user interaction to forge discovery results or craft malicious setup codes that redirect clients to attacker-controlled endpoints and exfiltrate plaintext credentials. No public exploit code has been identified, but the vulnerability requires proximity to the target network and user interaction to trigger the credential disclosure.

Technical ContextAI

OpenClaw uses WebSocket connections to communicate with gateway endpoints for discovery and credential exchange. The vulnerability stems from CWE-319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information), where the application fails to enforce encrypted WebSocket (wss://) connections or restrict endpoints to loopback-only addresses. Attackers on the same network segment (AV:A) can intercept or redirect WebSocket traffic by forging service discovery results or crafting setup codes. The application transmits gateway credentials-sensitive authentication material-in plaintext over these unencrypted channels, making them recoverable by passive network monitoring or active man-in-the-middle attacks. The AT:P flag (passive threat) indicates the attack requires network positioning but not active traffic manipulation to be discovered; UI:P (passive user interaction) means the victim must perform normal workflow actions like initiating gateway discovery or setup without recognizing the malicious endpoint.

RemediationAI

Upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.4.2 or later, which enforces encrypted WebSocket (wss://) connections and restricts non-loopback gateway endpoints. Administrators should update immediately via the standard release channel. Until patching is complete, limit access to gateway discovery and setup interfaces to trusted network zones only-disable guest network access to systems running OpenClaw clients, enforce VLAN segmentation to isolate OpenClaw deployments from untrusted networks, and implement network monitoring for unencrypted WebSocket traffic (ws://) as a compensating control to detect active exploitation. These mitigations have operational trade-offs: network isolation may complicate legitimate remote administration workflows, and traffic monitoring adds overhead to network infrastructure but provides early warning of compromise attempts. The patch is the definitive fix and should be prioritized; network-level controls are interim measures.