CVE-2026-43585

Gateway HTTP and WebSocket handlers captured the resolved bearer-auth configuration when the server started. After a SecretRef rotation, the already-running gateway could continue accepting the old bearer token until restart.

Affected versions

• Affected: < 2026.4.15
• Patched: 2026.4.15

A bearer token that should have been revoked by SecretRef rotation could remain valid on the gateway HTTP and upgrade surfaces for the lifetime of the process. Severity remains high because the old token could continue to authorize gateway requests after operators believed it was rotated out.

CVE-2026-43585 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no 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 (2026.4.15); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

OpenClaw 2026.4.15 resolves active gateway auth from the runtime secret snapshot per request and per upgrade instead of using a stale startup-time value.

Verified in v2026.4.15:

• src/gateway/server.impl.ts exposes getResolvedAuth() backed by the current runtime secret snapshot.
• src/gateway/server-http.ts calls getResolvedAuth() for each HTTP request and WebSocket upgrade before running auth checks.
• src/gateway/server-http.probe.test.ts verifies /ready re-resolves bearer auth after rotation and rejects the old token.

Fix commit included in v2026.4.15 and absent from v2026.4.14:

• acd4e0a32f12e1ad85f3130f63b42443ce90f094 via PR #66651

Thanks to @zsxsoft, Keen Security Lab, and @qclawer for reporting this issue.

1. What is CVE-2026-43585? CVE-2026-43585 is a critical-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions < 2026.4.15. It is fixed in 2026.4.15.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-43585? CVE-2026-43585 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (Critical). 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.
3. Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-43585? openclaw (npm) versions < 2026.4.15 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-43585? Yes. CVE-2026-43585 is fixed in 2026.4.15. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-43585 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-43585 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-43585 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2026-43585? Upgrade openclaw to 2026.4.15 or later.