CVE-2026-28454

When Telegram webhook mode is enabled without a configured webhook secret, OpenClaw may accept unauthenticated HTTP POST requests at the Telegram webhook endpoint and trust attacker-controlled update JSON. This can allow forged Telegram updates that spoof message.from.id / chat.id, potentially bypassing sender allowlists and executing privileged bot commands.

Affected Packages / Versions

• Package: openclaw (npm)
• Affected: <= 2026.1.30
• Patched: >= 2026.2.1

Mitigations / Workarounds

• Configure a strong channels.telegram.webhookSecret and ensure your reverse proxy forwards the X-Telegram-Bot-Api-Secret-Token header unchanged.

Fix Commit(s)

• ca92597e1f9593236ad86810b66633144b69314d (config validation: webhookUrl requires webhookSecret)

Defense-in-depth / supporting fixes:

• 5643a934799dc523ec2ef18c007e1aa2c386b670 (default webhook listener bind host to loopback)
• 3cbcba10cf30c2ffb898f0d8c7dfb929f15f8930 (bound webhook request body size/time)
• 633fe8b9c17f02fcc68ecdb5ec212a5ace932f09 (runtime guard: reject webhook startup when secret is missing/empty)

Release Process Note

patched_versions is set to the first fixed release (2026.2.1).

Thanks @yueyueL for reporting.

An attacker who can reach the webhook endpoint can forge Telegram updates and impersonate allowlisted/paired senders by spoofing fields in the webhook payload (for example message.from.id). Impact depends on enabled commands/tools and the deployment’s network exposure.

CVE-2026-28454 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, 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 (2026.2.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2026-28454? CVE-2026-28454 is a critical-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions < 2026.2.1. It is fixed in 2026.2.1.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-28454? CVE-2026-28454 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). 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-2026-28454? openclaw (npm) versions < 2026.2.1 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-28454? Yes. CVE-2026-28454 is fixed in 2026.2.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-28454 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-28454 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-2026-28454 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-2026-28454? Upgrade openclaw to 2026.2.1 or later.