Summary
OpenClaw: Silent privilege escalation via gateway shared-auth reconnect
Gateway local shared-auth reconnect silently widens paired device scope from operator.read to operator.admin and reach node RCE
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
Silent local shared-auth reconnects could previously auto-approve scope-upgrade requests and widen a paired device from operator.read to operator.admin. Commit 81ebc7e0344fd19c85778e883bad45e2da972229 blocks silent reconnect scope upgrades so widened scopes require an explicit pairing approval instead of an implicit local reconnect path.
Verified vulnerable on tag v2026.3.24 and fixed on main by commit 81ebc7e0344fd19c85778e883bad45e2da972229.
Fix Commit(s)
81ebc7e0344fd19c85778e883bad45e2da972229
Impact
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.
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
In the interim: Keep the dependency up to date. Audit access-control checks to ensure they are applied consistently and cannot be bypassed.
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-FQW4-MPH7-2VR8? GHSA-FQW4-MPH7-2VR8 is a critical-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.3.24. No fixed version is listed yet. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by GHSA-FQW4-MPH7-2VR8? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.3.24 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-FQW4-MPH7-2VR8? No fixed version is listed for GHSA-FQW4-MPH7-2VR8 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is GHSA-FQW4-MPH7-2VR8 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-FQW4-MPH7-2VR8 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 GHSA-FQW4-MPH7-2VR8 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 GHSA-FQW4-MPH7-2VR8? No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Keep the dependency up to date. Audit access-control checks to ensure they are applied consistently and cannot be bypassed.