Summary
CDP /json/version WebSocket URL could pivot to untrusted second-hop targets.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw - Ecosystem: npm
- Affected versions:
< 2026.4.5 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.5
Technical Details
The fix normalizes and re-validates direct CDP WebSocket targets before connecting.
Fix Commit(s)
bc356cc8c2beaa747c71dd86cceab8f804699665- PR: #60469
Release Process Note
Users should upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.5 or newer. The latest npm release, 2026.4.14, already includes the fix.
Credits
Thanks to @tdjackey for reporting this issue.
Impact
A browser profile could trust a CDP /json/version response whose webSocketDebuggerUrl pointed at a different host, enabling a second-hop SSRF-style pivot.
Untrusted input controls a URL used for redirection, which can forward users to attacker-controlled sites. Typical impact: phishing and credential harvesting via a trusted domain.
CVE-2026-43576 has a CVSS score of 7.7 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (2026.4.5); 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
The issue was fixed in #60469. The first stable tag containing the fix is v2026.4.5, and [email protected] includes the fix.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-43576? CVE-2026-43576 is a medium-severity open redirect vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions < 2026.4.5. It is fixed in 2026.4.5. Untrusted input controls a URL used for redirection, which can forward users to attacker-controlled sites.
- How severe is CVE-2026-43576? CVE-2026-43576 has a CVSS score of 7.7 (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-2026-43576? openclaw (npm) versions < 2026.4.5 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-43576? Yes. CVE-2026-43576 is fixed in 2026.4.5. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-43576 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-43576 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-2026-43576 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-2026-43576? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.4.5 or later.