CVE-2026-22172
OpenClaw < 2026.3.12 - Scope Elevation in WebSocket Shared-Auth Connections
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
OpenClaw < 2026.3.12 - Scope Elevation in WebSocket Shared-Auth Connections
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-22172- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-13704
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.
- Record
EUVD-2026-13704- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8
OpenClaw: WebSocket shared-auth connections could self-declare elevated scopes
Summary
A logic flaw in the OpenClaw gateway WebSocket connect path allowed certain device-less shared-token or password-authenticated backend connections to keep client-declared scopes without server-side binding. A shared-authenticated client could present elevated scopes such as operator.admin even though those scopes were not tied to a device identity or an explicitly trusted Control UI path.
Impact
This crossed the intended authorization boundary and could let a shared-secret-authenticated backend client perform admin-only gateway operations.
Affected versions
openclaw <= 2026.3.11
Patch
Fixed in openclaw 2026.3.12. The gateway now clears unbound scopes for non-Control-UI shared-auth connections, and regression tests cover the device-less shared-auth path.
- Record
GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-22172- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw < 2026.3.12 - Scope Elevation in WebSocket Shared-Auth Connections
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-22172- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Weakness
- CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8
OpenClaw: WebSocket shared-auth connections could self-declare elevated scopes
Summary
A logic flaw in the OpenClaw gateway WebSocket connect path allowed certain device-less shared-token or password-authenticated backend connections to keep client-declared scopes without server-side binding. A shared-authenticated client could present elevated scopes such as operator.admin even though those scopes were not tied to a device identity or an explicitly trusted Control UI path.
Impact
This crossed the intended authorization boundary and could let a shared-secret-authenticated backend client perform admin-only gateway operations.
Affected versions
openclaw <= 2026.3.11
Patch
Fixed in openclaw 2026.3.12. The gateway now clears unbound scopes for non-Control-UI shared-auth connections, and regression tests cover the device-less shared-auth path.
- Record
GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-22172 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.4) in Openclaw, published March 13, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.58%, the 48th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.3.12.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-rqpp-rjj8-7wv8
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-scope-elevation-in-websocket-shared-auth-connections
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22172