Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/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
Network-reachable but requires held device-pairing credentials (PR:L) and the pairing/setup prerequisite raises attack complexity (AC:H); successful node command yields full host C/I/A impact.
Primary rating from NVD.
CVSS VectorNVD
Lifecycle Timeline
6Blast Radius
ecosystem impact- 1 npm packages depend on openclaw (1 direct, 0 indirect)
Ecosystem-wide dependent count for version 2026.3.31.
DescriptionCVE.org
OpenClaw before 2026.3.31 contains a remote code execution vulnerability where a device-paired node can bypass the node scope gate authentication mechanism. Attackers with device pairing credentials can execute arbitrary node commands on the host system without proper node pairing validation.
AnalysisAI
Authentication-bypass leading to remote code execution in OpenClaw before 2026.3.31 allows a node that is only device-paired to skip the node scope gate and invoke privileged node commands (including system.run) on the host. An attacker holding device-pairing credentials - but without the stricter node-pairing approval - can execute arbitrary commands with total impact to host confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No public exploit is identified at time of analysis; EPSS is low (0.37%, 59th percentile) and CISA SSVC records no known exploitation.
Technical ContextAI
OpenClaw is a Node.js/npm gateway (package 'openclaw') that brokers commands between paired client nodes and a host system over an RPC/WebSocket gateway (src/gateway/server). Access to node commands is intended to be governed by two distinct trust layers: a lightweight 'device pairing' and a stronger 'node pairing' scope gate that must approve the specific command allowlist (e.g. canvas.snapshot, system.run) with operator scopes. The root cause is CWE-862 (Missing Authorization): the server exposed node commands to a merely device-paired node without enforcing that node pairing existed, so the scope gate was effectively bypassed. The fix commit (3886b65) adds test coverage proving that a device-paired-only node must have all declared commands blocked ('node command not allowed') until node pairing is explicitly approved via requestNodePairing/approveNodePairing with operator.admin/operator.write scopes.
RemediationAI
Vendor-released patch: upgrade the openclaw npm package to 2026.3.31 or later, which is the first stable tag containing fix commit 3886b65ef21d02808c1a106fa1f9f69e22f71c32 and restores enforcement that node commands stay blocked until node pairing is explicitly approved. See the advisory at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-xj9w-5r6q-x6v4 and the patch at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/3886b65ef21d02808c1a106fa1f9f69e22f71c32. If you cannot upgrade immediately, revoke or tightly restrict device-pairing credentials so only fully trusted devices can reach the gateway, and network-isolate the gateway RPC/WebSocket endpoint so it is unreachable from untrusted networks; the trade-off is that legitimate remote nodes may lose connectivity until re-paired. Do not grant node command allowlists - especially system.run - to any node that has not completed the stronger node-pairing approval flow.
Auth bypass in OpenClaw voice-call extension before 2026.2.1. EPSS 0.68%. PoC and patch available.
Privilege escalation in OpenClaw (pre-2026.3.28) allows unauthenticated remote attackers to gain administrative access b
OpenClaw versions 2026.2.22 through 2026.2.24 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows authenticated att
An authorization mismatch vulnerability in OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.3.1 allows authenticated users with operator.
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.1.29 automatically establish WebSocket connections to attacker-controlled gateway URLs e
Path traversal in OpenClaw through version 2026.3.23 enables unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files in
OpenClaw sandbox browser functionality launches x11vnc for noVNC observer sessions without requiring authentication, all
OpenClaw versions before 2026.2.26 allow authenticated attackers to write arbitrary files outside the workspace director
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.22 contain a shell environment variable injection vulnerability in the system.run func
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.22 contain a resource exhaustion vulnerability where the application fails to consiste
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.3.1 contain a sandbox escape vulnerability that allows authenticated attackers with low
OpenClaw versions 2026.1.30 and below fail to validate Telegram webhook secret tokens when `channels.telegram.webhookSec
Same weakness CWE-862 – Missing Authorization
View allSame technique Authentication Bypass
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External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today
EUVD-2026-25336
GHSA-7vq9-42cc-33j4