Summary
This issue is a browser-origin WebSocket auth chain on local loopback deployments using password auth. It is serious, but conditional: an attacker must get the user to open a malicious page and then successfully guess the gateway password.
Context and Preconditions
OpenClaw’s web/gateway surface is designed for local use and trusted-operator workflows. In affected versions, a browser-origin client could combine three behaviors:
- Origin checks not enforced for some non-Control-UI WebSocket client IDs.
- Loopback auth attempts exempt from password-failure throttling.
- Silent local pairing path available to browser-origin non-Control-UI clients.
Successful exploitation requires all of the following:
- Gateway reachable on loopback (default).
- Password auth mode in use.
- Victim opens attacker-controlled web content.
- Password is guessable within feasible brute-force/dictionary attempts.
Practical Impact
If the password is guessed, an attacker can establish an authenticated operator WebSocket session and invoke control-plane methods available to that role. This is not an unauthenticated internet-exposed RCE class issue by itself; it is a local browser-origin auth-hardening gap with meaningful impact under the conditions above.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<=2026.2.24(latest published npm version as of February 26, 2026) - Patched versions :
>=2026.2.25
Fix Commit(s)
c736f11a16d6bc27ea62a0fe40fffae4cb071fdb
Fix Details
- Enforce browser-origin checks for direct browser WebSocket clients beyond Control UI/Webchat (trusted-proxy forwarded flows remain supported).
- Apply browser-origin auth failure throttling with loopback exemption disabled.
- Block silent auto-pairing for non-Control-UI browser-origin clients.
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next npm release (2026.2.25) so once that release is published, the advisory is published.
OpenClaw thanks @luz-oasis for reporting.
Impact
The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access. Typical impact: unauthorized access to functions or data reserved for authenticated parties.
CVE-2026-32025 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. 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 (2026.2.25); 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-2026-32025? CVE-2026-32025 is a medium-severity improper authentication vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.2.24. It is fixed in 2026.2.25. The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access.
- How severe is CVE-2026-32025? CVE-2026-32025 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (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.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-32025? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.2.24 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-32025? Yes. CVE-2026-32025 is fixed in 2026.2.25. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-32025 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-32025 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-2026-32025 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-2026-32025? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.25 or later.