Which versions of OpenClaw are affected by CVE-2026-53816?

OpenClaw before version 2026.5.18 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability (CVSS 8.6) that could allow attackers to escalate to system-level privileges and execute unauthorized operations.. A patch is available.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2026-53816?

Within 24 hours: Identify all OpenClaw deployments and document current versions. Within 7 days: Apply vendor-released patch to upgrade all instances to version 2026.5.18 or later. Within 30 days: Verify patch deployment completion across all systems and implement monitoring for exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.

OpenClaw CVE-2026-53816

Q: What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-53816?

CVE-2026-53816 has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.6 (High). CVSS vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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%.

EUVD-2026-36322 HIGH

Missing Authorization (CWE-862)

2026-06-11 VulnCheck

GHSA-3c6j-hq33-3jv4

Authentication Bypass Openclaw

8.6

CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: VulnCheck

Severity by source

Vendor (VulnCheck) PRIMARY

8.6 HIGH

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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

vuln.today AI

7.2 HIGH

Exploitation requires control of an already-paired (high-privilege) node reachable over the network with no user interaction, and yields full compromise of gateway-mediated sessions, hence PR:H, AC:L and C/I/A:H.

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

4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck).

CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

High

User Interaction

None

Scope

Lifecycle Timeline

Analysis Generated

Jun 11, 2026 - 21:22 vuln.today

DescriptionCVE.org

OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 contains an insufficient provenance validation vulnerability in node event handling that allows paired nodes to forge exec lifecycle events without system.run authorization. A malicious or compromised paired node can send crafted node.event messages to the gateway, steering target sessions into exec-event paths that expose capabilities the reduced node surface should not provide.

AnalysisAI

Authorization bypass in OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 allows a paired node to forge exec lifecycle events and obtain capabilities reserved for nodes holding system.run authorization. By sending crafted node.event messages, an attacker controlling any peered node can steer gateway sessions into exec-event paths and execute privileged operations, with no public exploit identified at time of analysis.

Technical ContextAI

OpenClaw is a distributed node/gateway runtime in which paired nodes communicate with a central gateway via typed event messages, and exec lifecycle events are gated by a system.run capability normally restricted to a privileged subset of nodes. The defect is a CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) flaw in the gateway's node event handler: it accepts node.event messages claiming exec lifecycle semantics without verifying that the originating node actually holds system.run, so provenance is trusted purely from the message rather than from the node's authorization context. The result is that the reduced surface intended for ordinary paired nodes leaks into the exec path, breaking the capability boundary between general nodes and run-privileged nodes.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: OpenClaw 2026.5.18 - upgrade all gateway and node components to 2026.5.18 or later as described in GHSA-3c6j-hq33-3jv4 (https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-3c6j-hq33-3jv4). Where immediate upgrade is not possible, restrict node pairing to fully trusted operators and, if your deployment supports it, disable or block exec lifecycle event types (node.event exec.* paths) at the gateway for nodes that do not hold system.run - accepting that this will break legitimate exec workflows from those nodes - and tighten network ACLs so only vetted peers can reach the gateway's node-event endpoint. Monitor gateway logs for node.event messages carrying exec lifecycle semantics from nodes that should not have system.run, per the VulnCheck advisory (https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-exec-lifecycle-event-forgery-via-paired-node).