Summary
openclaw could start the sandbox browser bridge server without authentication.
When the sandboxed browser is enabled, openclaw runs a local (loopback) HTTP bridge that exposes browser control endpoints (for example /profiles, /tabs, /tabs/open, /agent/*). Due to missing auth wiring in the sandbox initialization path, that bridge server accepted requests without requiring gateway auth.
Affected Versions
- Introduced in:
2026.1.29-beta.1(first npm release that shipped the sandbox browser bridge) - Affected range:
>=2026.1.29-beta.1 <2026.2.14
Patched Versions
2026.2.14
Mitigation
- Upgrade to
2026.2.14(recommended). - Or disable the sandboxed browser (
agents.defaults.sandbox.browser.enabled=false).
Fix Details
- The sandbox browser bridge server now always requires auth and enforces the same gateway browser control auth (token/password) that loopback browser clients already use.
- Additional hardening: bridge server refuses non-loopback binds; local helper servers are bound to loopback.
- Added regression tests (including unit coverage for per-port bridge auth fallback).
Fix commits:
- openclaw/openclaw@4711a943e30bc58016247152ba06472dab09d0b0
- openclaw/openclaw@6dd6bce997c48752134f2d6ed89b27de01ced7e3
- openclaw/openclaw@cd84885a4ac78eadb7bf321aae98db9519426d67
Credits
Thanks to Adnan Jakati (@jackhax) of Praetorian for reporting this issue.
Impact
A local attacker (any process on the same machine) could access the bridge server port and:
- enumerate open tabs and retrieve CDP WebSocket URLs
- open/close/navigate tabs
- execute JavaScript in page contexts via CDP
- exfiltrate cookies/session data and page contents from authenticated sessions
This is a localhost-only exposure (CVSS AV:L), but provides full browser-session compromise for sandboxed browser usage.
A critical operation is accessible without requiring any authentication. Typical impact: any user can invoke the privileged function.
CVE-2026-28468 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (High). The vector is requires local access, low 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 (2026.2.14); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-28468? CVE-2026-28468 is a high-severity missing authentication for critical function vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions >= 2026.1.29-beta.1, < 2026.2.14. It is fixed in 2026.2.14. A critical operation is accessible without requiring any authentication.
- How severe is CVE-2026-28468? CVE-2026-28468 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (High). 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.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-28468? openclaw (npm) versions >= 2026.1.29-beta.1, < 2026.2.14 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-28468? Yes. CVE-2026-28468 is fixed in 2026.2.14. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-28468 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-28468 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
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-28468 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.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-28468? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.14 or later.