CVE-2026-25593
OpenClaw Affected by Unauthenticated Local RCE via WebSocket config.apply
OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant. Prior to 2026.1.20, an unauthenticated local client could use the Gateway WebSocket API to write config via config.apply and set unsafe cliPath values that were later used for command discovery, enabling command injection as the gateway user. This vulnerability is fixed in 2026.1.20.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- 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 Affected by Unauthenticated Local RCE via WebSocket config.apply
OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant. Prior to 2026.1.20, an unauthenticated local client could use the Gateway WebSocket API to write config via config.apply and set unsafe cliPath values that were later used for command discovery, enabling command injection as the gateway user. This vulnerability is fixed in 2026.1.20.
- Record
CVE-2026-25593- CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-78, CWE-306
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-5577
OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant. Prior to 2026.1.20, an unauthenticated local client could use the Gateway WebSocket API to write config via config.apply and set unsafe cliPath values that were later used for command discovery, enabling command injection as the gateway user. This vulnerability is fixed in 2026.1.20.
- Record
EUVD-2026-5577- CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-g55j-c2v4-pjcg
OpenClaw vulnerable to Unauthenticated Local RCE via WebSocket config.apply
Summary
An unauthenticated local client could use the Gateway WebSocket API to write config via config.apply and set unsafe cliPath values that were later used for command discovery, enabling command injection as the gateway user.
Impact
A local process on the same machine could execute arbitrary commands as the gateway process user.
Details
config.applyaccepted raw JSON and wrote it to disk after schema validation.cliPathvalues were not constrained to safe executable names/paths.- Command discovery used a shell invocation when resolving executables.
Mitigation
Upgrade to a patched release. If projects cannot upgrade immediately, set gateway.auth and avoid custom cliPath values.
- Record
GHSA-g55j-c2v4-pjcg- CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-20, CWE-78, CWE-306
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant. Prior to 2026.1.20, an unauthenticated local client could use the Gateway WebSocket API to write config via config.apply and set unsafe cliPath values that were later used for command discovery, enabling command injection as the gateway user. This vulnerability is fixed in 2026.1.20.
- Record
CVE-2026-25593- CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-78, CWE-306
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw Affected by Unauthenticated Local RCE via WebSocket config.apply
OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant. Prior to 2026.1.20, an unauthenticated local client could use the Gateway WebSocket API to write config via config.apply and set unsafe cliPath values that were later used for command discovery, enabling command injection as the gateway user. This vulnerability is fixed in 2026.1.20.
- Record
CVE-2026-25593- CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-306, CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-g55j-c2v4-pjcg
OpenClaw vulnerable to Unauthenticated Local RCE via WebSocket config.apply
Summary
An unauthenticated local client could use the Gateway WebSocket API to write config via config.apply and set unsafe cliPath values that were later used for command discovery, enabling command injection as the gateway user.
Impact
A local process on the same machine could execute arbitrary commands as the gateway process user.
Details
config.applyaccepted raw JSON and wrote it to disk after schema validation.cliPathvalues were not constrained to safe executable names/paths.- Command discovery used a shell invocation when resolving executables.
Mitigation
Upgrade to a patched release. If projects cannot upgrade immediately, set gateway.auth and avoid custom cliPath values.
- Record
GHSA-g55j-c2v4-pjcg- CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-20, CWE-306, CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm | before 2026.1.20 | 2026.1.20 |
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-2026-25593 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.4) in Openclaw, published February 4, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.71%, the 54th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.1.20.