CVE-2026-28472
OpenClaw < 2026.2.2 - Device Identity Check Bypass in Gateway WebSocket Connect Handshake
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.2 contain a vulnerability in the gateway WebSocket connect handshake in which it allows skipping device identity checks when auth.token is present but not validated. Attackers can connect to the gateway without providing device identity or pairing by exploiting the presence check instead of validation, potentially gaining operator access in vulnerable deployments.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- 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 < 2026.2.2 - Device Identity Check Bypass in Gateway WebSocket Connect Handshake
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.2 contain a vulnerability in the gateway WebSocket connect handshake in which it allows skipping device identity checks when auth.token is present but not validated. Attackers can connect to the gateway without providing device identity or pairing by exploiting the presence check instead of validation, potentially gaining operator access in vulnerable deployments.
- Record
CVE-2026-28472- CVSS 4.0
- 9.2 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-306
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-9918
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.2 contain a vulnerability in the gateway WebSocket connect handshake in which it allows skipping device identity checks when auth.token is present but not validated. Attackers can connect to the gateway without providing device identity or pairing by exploiting the presence check instead of validation, potentially gaining operator access in vulnerable deployments.
- Record
EUVD-2026-9918- CVSS 4.0
- 9.2 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-rv39-79c4-7459
OpenClaw's gateway connect could skip device identity checks when auth.token was present but not yet validated
Summary
The gateway WebSocket connect handshake could allow skipping device identity checks when auth.token was present but not yet validated.
Details
In src/gateway/server/ws-connection/message-handler.ts, the device-identity requirement could be bypassed based on the presence of a non-empty connectParams.auth.token rather than a validated shared-secret authentication result.
Impact
In deployments where the gateway WebSocket is reachable and connections can be authorized via Tailscale without validating the shared secret, a client could connect without providing device identity/pairing. Depending on version and configuration, this could result in operator access.
Deployment Guidance
Per OpenClaw security guidance, the gateway should only be reachable from a trusted network and by trusted users (for example, restrict Tailnet users/ACLs when using Tailscale Serve).
If the gateway WebSocket is only reachable by trusted users, there is typically no untrusted party with network access to exploit this issue.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected:
<= 2026.2.1 - Fixed:
>= 2026.2.2
Fix
Device-identity skipping now requires validated shared-secret authentication (token/password). Tailscale-authenticated connections without validated shared secret require device identity.
Fix Commit(s)
- fe81b1d7125a014b8280da461f34efbf5f761575
Thanks @simecek for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-306
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.2 contain a vulnerability in the gateway WebSocket connect handshake in which it allows skipping device identity checks when auth.token is present but not validated. Attackers can connect to the gateway without providing device identity or pairing by exploiting the presence check instead of validation, potentially gaining operator access in vulnerable deployments.
- Record
CVE-2026-28472- CVSS 4.0
- 9.2 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-306
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw < 2026.2.2 - Device Identity Check Bypass in Gateway WebSocket Connect Handshake
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.2 contain a vulnerability in the gateway WebSocket connect handshake in which it allows skipping device identity checks when auth.token is present but not validated. Attackers can connect to the gateway without providing device identity or pairing by exploiting the presence check instead of validation, potentially gaining operator access in vulnerable deployments.
- Record
CVE-2026-28472- CVSS 4.0
- 9.2 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-306
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-rv39-79c4-7459
OpenClaw's gateway connect could skip device identity checks when auth.token was present but not yet validated
Summary
The gateway WebSocket connect handshake could allow skipping device identity checks when auth.token was present but not yet validated.
Details
In src/gateway/server/ws-connection/message-handler.ts, the device-identity requirement could be bypassed based on the presence of a non-empty connectParams.auth.token rather than a validated shared-secret authentication result.
Impact
In deployments where the gateway WebSocket is reachable and connections can be authorized via Tailscale without validating the shared secret, a client could connect without providing device identity/pairing. Depending on version and configuration, this could result in operator access.
Deployment Guidance
Per OpenClaw security guidance, the gateway should only be reachable from a trusted network and by trusted users (for example, restrict Tailnet users/ACLs when using Tailscale Serve).
If the gateway WebSocket is only reachable by trusted users, there is typically no untrusted party with network access to exploit this issue.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected:
<= 2026.2.1 - Fixed:
>= 2026.2.2
Fix
Device-identity skipping now requires validated shared-secret authentication (token/password). Tailscale-authenticated connections without validated shared secret require device identity.
Fix Commit(s)
- fe81b1d7125a014b8280da461f34efbf5f761575
Thanks @simecek for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-306
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm | before 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-2026-28472 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.2) in Openclaw, published February 17, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.41%, the 35th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.2.2.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-rv39-79c4-7459
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-device-identity-check-bypass-in-gateway-websocket-connect-handshake
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-28472