Summary
OpenClaw: Gateway Backend Reconnect lets Non-Admin Operator Scopes Self-Claim operator.admin
Gateway Backend Reconnect lets Non-Admin Operator Scopes Self-Claim operator.admin
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw - Affected versions:
<= 2026.3.24 - First patched version:
2026.3.25 - Latest published npm version at verification time:
2026.3.24
Details
Backend-labeled reconnects could previously self-request broader scopes and bypass pairing, allowing non-admin operators to reconnect as operator.admin. Commit d3d8e316bd819d3c7e34253aeb7eccb2510f5f48 removes the backend self-pairing skip and requires pairing when requested scopes exceed the approved baseline.
Verified vulnerable on tag v2026.3.24 and fixed on main by commit d3d8e316bd819d3c7e34253aeb7eccb2510f5f48.
Fix Commit(s)
d3d8e316bd819d3c7e34253aeb7eccb2510f5f48
Impact
The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access. Typical impact: privilege escalation beyond the intended level.
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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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
In the interim: Keep the dependency up to date. Apply the principle of least privilege and audit privilege transitions.
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-35663? CVE-2026-35663 is a critical-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.3.24. No fixed version is listed yet. The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-35663? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.3.24 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-35663? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2026-35663 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2026-35663 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-35663 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-2026-35663 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-2026-35663? No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Keep the dependency up to date. Apply the principle of least privilege and audit privilege transitions.