Summary
OpenClaw's inbound media downloads could exceed configured byte limits before rejection across multiple channels
OpenClaw did not consistently enforce configured inbound media byte limits before buffering remote media in several channel ingestion paths. A remote sender could trigger oversized downloads and memory pressure before rejection.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= 2026.2.21-2(latest published at triage time) - Fixed in:
2026.2.22(planned next release)
Fix Commit(s)
73d93dee64127a26f1acd09d0403b794cdeb4f5c
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.22). After that npm release is published, this advisory can be published without further version-field edits.
OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
Impact
An attacker could cause elevated memory usage and potential process instability (denial of service) by sending oversized media payloads.
Crafted input forces the application to consume excessive CPU, memory, or other resources, degrading or denying service. Typical impact: denial of service.
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-32049? CVE-2026-32049 is a high-severity uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions < 2026.2.22. It is fixed in 2026.2.22. Crafted input forces the application to consume excessive CPU, memory, or other resources, degrading or denying service.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-32049? openclaw (npm) versions < 2026.2.22 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-32049? Yes. CVE-2026-32049 is fixed in 2026.2.22. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-32049 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-32049 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-2026-32049 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-2026-32049? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.22 or later.