CVE-2026-22172
CVE-2026-22172 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Openclaw with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.9. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-862.
Key facts
- Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.9)
- CVSS v4: 9.4
- EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (45th percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-13704
- Weakness: CWE-862
- Affected product: Openclaw
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.3.12 contain an authorization bypass vulnerability in the WebSocket connect path that allows shared-token or password-authenticated connections to self-declare elevated scopes without server-side binding. Attackers can exploit this logic flaw to present unauthorized scopes such as operator.admin and perform admin-only gateway operations.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-22172?
- OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.3.12 contain an authorization bypass vulnerability in the WebSocket connect path that allows shared-token or password-authenticated connections to self-declare elevated scopes without server-side binding. Attackers can exploit this logic flaw to present unauthorized scopes such as operator.admin and perform admin-only gateway operations.
- How severe is CVE-2026-22172?
- CVE-2026-22172 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.9, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
- Is CVE-2026-22172 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (45th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- What products are affected by CVE-2026-22172?
- CVE-2026-22172 affects Openclaw. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-22172?
- Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
- Does CVE-2026-22172 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
- Yes. CVE-2026-22172 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-13704.
- When was CVE-2026-22172 published?
- CVE-2026-22172 was published on 2026-03-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-scope-elevation-in-websocket-shared-auth-connections
Affected products (1)
- cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
More vulnerabilities in Openclaw
- CVE-2026-41329 — Critical (CVSS 9.9): OpenClaw before 2026.3.31 contains a sandbox bypass vulnerability allowing attackers to escalate privileges via…
- CVE-2026-33579 — Critical (CVSS 9.9): OpenClaw before 2026.3.28 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the /pair approve command path that fails to…
- CVE-2026-32922 — Critical (CVSS 9.9): OpenClaw before 2026.3.11 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in device.token.rotate that allows callers with…
- CVE-2026-28466 — Critical (CVSS 9.9): OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.14 contain a vulnerability in the gateway in which it fails to sanitize internal…
- CVE-2026-28363 — Critical (CVSS 9.9): In OpenClaw before 2026.2.23, tools.exec.safeBins validation for sort could be bypassed via GNU long-option…
- CVE-2026-53838 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): OpenClaw before 2026.5.27 contains a state mutation vulnerability in node pairing reconnection that allows paired nodes…
Other CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) vulnerabilities
- CVE-2026-101000 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A vulnerability was determined in Netcore NBR100V2 1.3.240614.030928. This affects the function uci.apply of the file…
- CVE-2026-97360 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): HFS2 version 2.4.0 and earlier contains an unauthenticated arbitrary file access vulnerability that allows…
- CVE-2026-65381 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A validation issue existed in the entitlement verification. This issue was addressed with improved validation of the…
- CVE-2026-81648 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The CryptoPayment Gateway WordPress plugin from 1.2.1 to 1.2.2 does not apply an authorization check on one of its AJAX…
- CVE-2026-77770 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The miniOrange 2FA WordPress plugin before 6.3.1, miniOrange 2FA WordPress plugin before 19.3 does not require a…
- CVE-2026-65667 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Missing authorization in Microsoft Teams allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.
Browse all CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) vulnerabilities →