GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM

A gateway client authenticated with operator.write could route /config set or /config unset through chat.send and reach persistent config mutation even though direct config RPC methods are admin-scoped.

Affected Packages / Versions

• Package: openclaw (npm)
• Latest published vulnerable version: 2026.3.2
• Affected range: <= 2026.3.2
• Patched in: 2026.3.7

Details

Before the fix, chat.send ran slash commands in an internal gateway-chat context with CommandAuthorized: true, and /config write paths only checked command authorization plus commands.config / channels.<provider>.configWrites gates. That allowed an authenticated operator.write gateway client to bridge into persistent config writes even though direct config.* RPC methods remain operator.admin scoped.

The fix keeps command functionality intact while restoring the intended scope boundary:

• persistent /config set|unset writes routed through gateway chat.send now require operator.admin
• read-only /config show remains available to normal write-scoped gateway clients
• normal messaging-channel /config behavior remains unchanged

Fix Commit(s)

• 5f8f58ae25e2a78f31b06edcf26532d634ca554e

Release Process Note

npm 2026.3.7 was published on March 8, 2026. This advisory is fixed in the released package.

Thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

This is a real authorization mismatch, but exploitability requires an already authenticated gateway client with operator.write, chat.send access, and /config command support enabled. Maintainer severity is set to medium because the bug is a scoped control-plane privilege mismatch rather than a broad unauthenticated or generic remote compromise. The main consequence is unintended persistent config mutation.

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.

GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM has a CVSS score of 4.3 (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 (2026.3.7); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM? GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM is a medium-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.3.2. It is fixed in 2026.3.7. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
2. How severe is GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM? GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM has a CVSS score of 4.3 (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.
3. Which versions of openclaw are affected by GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.3.2 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM? Yes. GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM is fixed in 2026.3.7. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM 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 GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM 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 GHSA-HFPR-JHPQ-X4RM? Upgrade openclaw to 2026.3.7 or later.