CVE-2026-29613

The BlueBubbles webhook handler previously treated any request whose socket remoteAddress was loopback (127.0.0.1, ::1, ::ffff:127.0.0.1) as authenticated. When OpenClaw Gateway is behind a reverse proxy (Tailscale Serve/Funnel, nginx, Cloudflare Tunnel, ngrok), the proxy typically connects to the gateway over loopback, allowing unauthenticated remote requests to bypass the configured webhook password.

This could allow an attacker who can reach the proxy endpoint to inject arbitrary inbound BlueBubbles message/reaction events.

Affected Packages / Versions

• Package: openclaw (npm)
• Affected versions: < 2026.2.12
• Patched versions: >= 2026.2.12

Exposure / Configuration

• BlueBubbles is an optional channel plugin (intended to eventually replace the legacy iMessage plugin, which is also optional). It is not enabled by default and is not part of a standard OpenClaw configuration.
• Only deployments with the BlueBubbles webhook endpoint exposed through a reverse proxy are impacted.

Details

The BlueBubbles webhook handler accepts inbound events via an HTTP POST endpoint under the configured BlueBubbles webhook path.

In vulnerable versions, the handler would accept requests as authenticated if req.socket.remoteAddress is loopback, without validating forwarding headers. With common reverse-proxy setups, the gateway sees the proxy as the direct client (loopback), even when the original request is remote.

Fix Commit(s)

• f836c385ffc746cb954e8ee409f99d079bfdcd2f (released in 2026.2.12)
• 743f4b28495cdeb0d5bf76f6ebf4af01f6a02e5a (defense-in-depth follow-up)

Mitigations

• Ensure a BlueBubbles webhook password is configured.
• Do not expose the gateway webhook endpoint publicly without authentication.

Thanks @simecek for reporting.

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

CVE-2026-29613 has a CVSS score of 5.9 (High). 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 (2026.2.12); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

• Primary fix (released in 2026.2.12): remove loopback-based authentication bypass and require the configured webhook secret.
• Defense-in-depth follow-up (next release after commit below): treat requests with forwarding headers as proxied and never accept passwordless webhooks through a proxy.

1. What is CVE-2026-29613? CVE-2026-29613 is a high-severity missing authentication for critical function vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions < 2026.2.12. It is fixed in 2026.2.12. A critical operation is accessible without requiring any authentication.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-29613? CVE-2026-29613 has a CVSS score of 5.9 (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.
3. Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-29613? openclaw (npm) versions < 2026.2.12 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-29613? Yes. CVE-2026-29613 is fixed in 2026.2.12. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-29613 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-29613 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-2026-29613 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-2026-29613? Upgrade openclaw to 2026.2.12 or later.