How severe is CVE-2026-43578?

CVE-2026-43578 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.1, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2026-43578 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (21st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-43578?

CVE-2026-43578 affects Openclaw. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-43578?

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-2026-43578 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-43578 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-28168.

When was CVE-2026-43578 published?

CVE-2026-43578 was published on 2026-05-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2026-43578

CVE-2026-43578 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Openclaw with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.1. 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-184.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.1)
CVSS v4: 9.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (21st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-28168
Weakness: CWE-184
Affected product: Openclaw
Published: 2026-05-06
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

OpenClaw versions 2026.3.31 before 2026.4.10 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability where heartbeat owner downgrade detection misses local background async exec completion events. Attackers can exploit this by providing untrusted completion content to leave a run in a more privileged context than intended.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-43578?: OpenClaw versions 2026.3.31 before 2026.4.10 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability where heartbeat owner downgrade detection misses local background async exec completion events. Attackers can exploit this by providing untrusted completion content to leave a run in a more privileged context than intended.
How severe is CVE-2026-43578?: CVE-2026-43578 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.1, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2026-43578 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (21st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-43578?: CVE-2026-43578 affects Openclaw. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-43578?: 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-2026-43578 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-43578 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-28168.
When was CVE-2026-43578 published?: CVE-2026-43578 was published on 2026-05-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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

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