Summary
OpenClaw reuses the gateway auth token in the owner ID prompt hashing fallback
Vulnerability
OpenClaw reused gateway.auth.token (and gateway.remote.token) as a fallback hash secret for owner-ID prompt obfuscation when commands.ownerDisplay=hash and commands.ownerDisplaySecret was unset.
This created secret dual-use between gateway authentication and prompt metadata hashing.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Latest affected published version:
2026.2.21-2 - Vulnerable range:
<= 2026.2.21-2 - Patched version (planned next release):
2026.2.22
Affected Components
src/agents/cli-runner/helpers.tssrc/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.tssrc/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts
Fix Commit(s)
- c99e7696e6893083b256f0a6c88fb060f3a76fb7
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.22). Once npm release 2026.2.22 is published, this advisory only needs to be published.
OpenClaw thanks @aether-ai-agent for reporting.
Impact
- Auth-secret dual-use across security domains (gateway auth and prompt metadata hashing).
- Hash outputs are visible to third-party model providers in system prompts.
- No direct plaintext token disclosure.
- Practical risk is highest when operators use weak gateway tokens and leave owner hash secret unset.
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.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
- Added a shared owner-display resolver and secret-generation helper.
- Removed fallback to
gateway.auth.tokenandgateway.remote.token. - Auto-generates and persists a dedicated
commands.ownerDisplaySecretwhen hash mode is enabled and secret is missing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-32897? CVE-2026-32897 is a low-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.2.21-2. It is fixed in 2026.2.22.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-32897? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.2.21-2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-32897? Yes. CVE-2026-32897 is fixed in 2026.2.22. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-32897 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-32897 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-2026-32897 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-2026-32897? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.22 or later.