CVE-2026-22174

A local process can capture the OpenClaw Gateway auth token from Chrome CDP probe traffic on loopback.

Details

Affected versions inject x-openclaw-relay-token for loopback CDP URLs, and CDP reachability probes send that header to /json/version.
If an attacker controls the probed loopback port, they can read that token and reuse it as Gateway bearer auth.

Relevant code paths (pre-fix):

• src/browser/extension-relay.ts (getChromeExtensionRelayAuthHeaders)
• src/browser/cdp.helpers.ts (getHeadersWithAuth)
• src/browser/chrome.ts (fetchChromeVersion)

Affected Packages / Versions

• Package: openclaw (npm)
• Latest published (at triage): 2026.2.21-2
• Vulnerable: <= 2026.2.21-2
• Patched: >= 2026.2.22

Deployment Model Applicability

This does not change OpenClaw’s documented security model for standard single-owner installs (you own the machine/VPS and trust local processes under that OS account boundary).
Risk is for non-standard shared-user/shared-host installs where an untrusted local user/process can race/bind the loopback relay port.

Fix Commit(s)

• afa22acc4a09fdf32be8a167ae216bee85c30dad

Release Process Note

Patched version is set to >= 2026.2.22 for the published release.

OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

• Local credential disclosure.
• Follow-on impact depends on local deployment and enabled Gateway capabilities.

A critical operation is accessible without requiring any authentication. Typical impact: any user can invoke the privileged function.

CVE-2026-22174 has a CVSS score of 5.7 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2026.2.22); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2026-22174? CVE-2026-22174 is a medium-severity missing authentication for critical function vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.2.21-2. It is fixed in 2026.2.22. A critical operation is accessible without requiring any authentication.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-22174? CVE-2026-22174 has a CVSS score of 5.7 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-22174? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.2.21-2 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-22174? Yes. CVE-2026-22174 is fixed in 2026.2.22. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-22174 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-22174 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-22174 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2026-22174? Upgrade openclaw to 2026.2.22 or later.