CVE-2026-53843 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions < 2026.5.26. It is fixed in 2026.5.26.
Summary In affected releases, a surviving pairing-scoped session for a device could re-establish node token authority after that node token had been revoked. Revocation should require the device to lose that authority unless it is approved again through the normal pairing flow. This issue affects token revocation and device-role containment. It does not allow unauthenticated device creation. Affected configurations This affects deployments where an already paired device keeps a same-device session with pairing-related scope after its node token is revoked. Impact A device that should have lost node WebSocket authority could regain it without renewed approval. That weakens revocation as an operator control and can keep node-level access alive longer than intended. The impact is limited to devices that already had a legitimate pairing/session foothold. Patched Versions The first stable patched version is 2026.5.26. Mitigations Upgrade to [email protected] or later. If a node token was revoked on an older version, restart the gateway and remove/re-pair the affected device to ensure no stale session remains active.
The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.
CVE-2026-53843 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). 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 (2026.5.26). Upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
npm
openclaw (< 2026.5.26)openclaw → 2026.5.26 (npm)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 instead of chasing every advisory.
Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether CVE-2026-53843 is reachable in your applications. Explore open-source security for your team.
See if CVE-2026-53843 is reachable in your applications. Get a demo
Upgrade openclaw to 2026.5.26 or later to resolve this vulnerability.
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
CVE-2026-53843 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions < 2026.5.26. It is fixed in 2026.5.26. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
CVE-2026-53843 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). 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.
openclaw (npm) versions < 2026.5.26 is affected.
Yes. CVE-2026-53843 is fixed in 2026.5.26. Upgrade to this version or later.
Whether CVE-2026-53843 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
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.
Upgrade openclaw to 2026.5.26 or later.