Summary
OpenClaw: Unauthorized Telegram Senders Trigger Media Download and Disk Write Before Access Check
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Latest published version currently affected:
2026.2.23 - Vulnerable range:
<= 2026.2.23 - Patched in planned next release:
2026.2.24
Fix Commit(s)
9514201fb9b51de5d0b23151110d0ff5d9c8bd67
Technical Details
The Telegram handler flow now enforces DM authorization before media download/write paths execute, including media-group handling. Inbound channel activity tracking was also moved to run after DM authorization in the Telegram message context path.
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.24). After npm publish, the advisory can be published without further version-field edits.
OpenClaw thanks @v8hid for reporting.
Publication Update (2026-02-25)
[email protected] is published on npm and contains the fix commit(s) listed above. This advisory now marks >= 2026.2.24 as patched.
Impact
In Telegram DM mode, inbound media was downloaded and written to disk before sender authorization checks completed. An unauthorized sender could trigger inbound media download/write activity (including media groups) even when DM access should be denied.
The application allocates resources such as memory, threads, or file descriptors based on untrusted input without enforcing a cap. Typical impact: resource exhaustion leading to denial of service.
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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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-H656-5VCF-CM23? GHSA-H656-5VCF-CM23 is a medium-severity allocation of resources without limits or throttling vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.2.23. It is fixed in 2026.2.24. The application allocates resources such as memory, threads, or file descriptors based on untrusted input without enforcing a cap.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by GHSA-H656-5VCF-CM23? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.2.23 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-H656-5VCF-CM23? Yes. GHSA-H656-5VCF-CM23 is fixed in 2026.2.24. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-H656-5VCF-CM23 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-H656-5VCF-CM23 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-H656-5VCF-CM23 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-H656-5VCF-CM23? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.24 or later.