How severe is CVE-2026-42438?

CVE-2026-42438 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2026-42438 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (15th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-42438?

CVE-2026-42438 affects Openclaw. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-42438?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

Does CVE-2026-42438 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-42438 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-27259.

When was CVE-2026-42438 published?

CVE-2026-42438 was published on 2026-05-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2026-42438

CVE-2026-42438 is a high-severity vulnerability in Openclaw with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7. 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-863.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.7)
CVSS v4: 4.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (15th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-27259
Weakness: CWE-863
Affected product: Openclaw
Published: 2026-05-05
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

OpenClaw versions 2026.4.9 before 2026.4.10 contain a sender policy bypass vulnerability in the outbound host-media attachment read helper that allows unauthorized local file disclosure. Attackers with denied read access via toolsBySender or group policy can trigger host-media attachment loading to bypass sender and group-scoped authorization boundaries and retrieve readable local files through the outbound media path.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-42438?: OpenClaw versions 2026.4.9 before 2026.4.10 contain a sender policy bypass vulnerability in the outbound host-media attachment read helper that allows unauthorized local file disclosure. Attackers with denied read access via toolsBySender or group policy can trigger host-media attachment loading to bypass sender and group-scoped authorization boundaries and retrieve readable local files through the outbound media path.
How severe is CVE-2026-42438?: CVE-2026-42438 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2026-42438 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (15th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-42438?: CVE-2026-42438 affects Openclaw. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-42438?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-42438 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-42438 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-27259.
When was CVE-2026-42438 published?: CVE-2026-42438 was published on 2026-05-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:2026.4.9:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*

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