CVE-2026-28471
OpenClaw 2026.1.14-1 < 2026.2.2 - Allowlist Bypass via displayName and Cross-Homeserver localpart Matching in Matrix Plugin
OpenClaw version 2026.1.14-1 prior to 2026.2.2, with the Matrix plugin installed and enabled, contain a vulnerability in which DM allowlist matching could be bypassed by exact-matching against sender display names and localparts without homeserver validation. Remote Matrix users can impersonate allowed identities by using attacker-controlled display names or matching localparts from different homeservers to reach the routing and agent pipeline.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
OpenClaw 2026.1.14-1 < 2026.2.2 - Allowlist Bypass via displayName and Cross-Homeserver localpart Matching in Matrix Plugin
OpenClaw version 2026.1.14-1 prior to 2026.2.2, with the Matrix plugin installed and enabled, contain a vulnerability in which DM allowlist matching could be bypassed by exact-matching against sender display names and localparts without homeserver validation. Remote Matrix users can impersonate allowed identities by using attacker-controlled display names or matching localparts from different homeservers to reach the routing and agent pipeline.
- Record
CVE-2026-28471- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-9917
OpenClaw version 2026.1.14-1 prior to 2026.2.2, with the Matrix plugin installed and enabled, contain a vulnerability in which DM allowlist matching could be bypassed by exact-matching against sender display names and localparts without homeserver validation. Remote Matrix users can impersonate allowed identities by using attacker-controlled display names or matching localparts from different homeservers to reach the routing and agent pipeline.
- Record
EUVD-2026-9917- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-rmxw-jxxx-4cpc
OpenClaw has a Matrix allowlist bypass via displayName and cross-homeserver localpart matching
Summary
OpenClaw Matrix DM allowlist matching could be bypassed in certain configurations.
Matrix support ships as an optional plugin (not bundled with the core install), so this only affects deployments that have installed and enabled the Matrix plugin.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected:
>= 2026.1.14-1, < 2026.2.2 - Patched:
>= 2026.2.2
Details
In affected versions, DM allowlist decisions could be made by exact-matching channels.matrix.dm.allowFrom entries against multiple sender-derived candidates, including:
- The sender display name (attacker-controlled and non-unique)
- The sender MXID localpart with the homeserver discarded, so
@alice:evil.exampleand@alice:trusted.exampleboth matchalice
If an operator configured channels.matrix.dm.allowFrom with display names or bare localparts (for example, "Alice" or "alice"), a remote Matrix user may be able to impersonate an allowed identity for allowlist purposes and reach the routing/agent pipeline.
Impact
Matrix DM allowlist identity confusion. The practical impact depends on your Matrix channel policies and what capabilities are enabled downstream.
Mitigation
- Upgrade to
openclaw >= 2026.2.2. - Ensure Matrix allowlists contain only full Matrix user IDs (MXIDs) like
@user:server(or*). Do not use display names or bare localparts.
Fix Commit(s)
8f3bfbd1c4fb967a2ddb5b4b9a05784920814bcf
Release Process Note
The patched version is already published to npm; the advisory can be published once you're ready.
Thanks @MegaManSec (https://joshua.hu) of AISLE Research Team for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-rmxw-jxxx-4cpc- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-287, CWE-290
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
OpenClaw version 2026.1.14-1 prior to 2026.2.2, with the Matrix plugin installed and enabled, contain a vulnerability in which DM allowlist matching could be bypassed by exact-matching against sender display names and localparts without homeserver validation. Remote Matrix users can impersonate allowed identities by using attacker-controlled display names or matching localparts from different homeservers to reach the routing and agent pipeline.
- Record
CVE-2026-28471- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/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
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw 2026.1.14-1 < 2026.2.2 - Allowlist Bypass via displayName and Cross-Homeserver localpart Matching in Matrix Plugin
OpenClaw version 2026.1.14-1 prior to 2026.2.2, with the Matrix plugin installed and enabled, contain a vulnerability in which DM allowlist matching could be bypassed by exact-matching against sender display names and localparts without homeserver validation. Remote Matrix users can impersonate allowed identities by using attacker-controlled display names or matching localparts from different homeservers to reach the routing and agent pipeline.
- Record
CVE-2026-28471- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-rmxw-jxxx-4cpc
OpenClaw has a Matrix allowlist bypass via displayName and cross-homeserver localpart matching
Summary
OpenClaw Matrix DM allowlist matching could be bypassed in certain configurations.
Matrix support ships as an optional plugin (not bundled with the core install), so this only affects deployments that have installed and enabled the Matrix plugin.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected:
>= 2026.1.14-1, < 2026.2.2 - Patched:
>= 2026.2.2
Details
In affected versions, DM allowlist decisions could be made by exact-matching channels.matrix.dm.allowFrom entries against multiple sender-derived candidates, including:
- The sender display name (attacker-controlled and non-unique)
- The sender MXID localpart with the homeserver discarded, so
@alice:evil.exampleand@alice:trusted.exampleboth matchalice
If an operator configured channels.matrix.dm.allowFrom with display names or bare localparts (for example, "Alice" or "alice"), a remote Matrix user may be able to impersonate an allowed identity for allowlist purposes and reach the routing/agent pipeline.
Impact
Matrix DM allowlist identity confusion. The practical impact depends on your Matrix channel policies and what capabilities are enabled downstream.
Mitigation
- Upgrade to
openclaw >= 2026.2.2. - Ensure Matrix allowlists contain only full Matrix user IDs (MXIDs) like
@user:server(or*). Do not use display names or bare localparts.
Fix Commit(s)
8f3bfbd1c4fb967a2ddb5b4b9a05784920814bcf
Release Process Note
The patched version is already published to npm; the advisory can be published once you're ready.
Thanks @MegaManSec (https://joshua.hu) of AISLE Research Team for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-rmxw-jxxx-4cpc- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-287, CWE-290
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm | 2026.1.14-1 up to 2026.2.2 | 2026.2.2 |
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-2026-28471 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.3) in Openclaw, published February 17, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.27%, the 19th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.2.2.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-rmxw-jxxx-4cpc
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-allowlist-bypass-via-displayname-and-cross-homeserver-localpart-matching-in-matrix
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-28471