CVE-2026-32008
OpenClaw < 2026.2.21 - Arbitrary Local File Read via Browser Navigation Guard
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.21 contain an improper URL scheme validation vulnerability in the assertBrowserNavigationAllowed() function that allows authenticated users with browser-tool access to navigate to file:// URLs. Attackers can exploit this by accessing local files readable by the OpenClaw process user through browser snapshot and extraction actions to exfiltrate sensitive data.
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
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.1
OpenClaw < 2026.2.21 - Arbitrary Local File Read via Browser Navigation Guard
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.21 contain an improper URL scheme validation vulnerability in the assertBrowserNavigationAllowed() function that allows authenticated users with browser-tool access to navigate to file:// URLs. Attackers can exploit this by accessing local files readable by the OpenClaw process user through browser snapshot and extraction actions to exfiltrate sensitive data.
- Record
CVE-2026-32008- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-610
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-13267
7.1
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.21 contain an improper URL scheme validation vulnerability in the assertBrowserNavigationAllowed() function that allows authenticated users with browser-tool access to navigate to file:// URLs. Attackers can exploit this by accessing local files readable by the OpenClaw process user through browser snapshot and extraction actions to exfiltrate sensitive data.
- Record
EUVD-2026-13267- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-45cg-2683-gfmq
6.5
OpenClaw browser navigation guard allowed non-network URL schemes, enabling authenticated browser-tool users to access file:// local files
Impact
assertBrowserNavigationAllowed() validated only http:/https: network targets but implicitly allowed other schemes. An authenticated gateway user could navigate browser sessions to file:// URLs and read local files via browser snapshot/extraction flows.
Affected Component
src/browser/navigation-guard.ts
Technical Reproduction
- Authenticate to a gateway that has browser tooling enabled.
- Invoke browser navigation with a
file://URL (for examplefile:///etc/passwd). - Read page content through browser snapshot/extract actions.
Demonstrated Impact
An attacker with valid gateway credentials and browser-tool access can exfiltrate local files readable by the OpenClaw process user (for example config/secrets in that user context).
Environment
- OpenClaw browser tool enabled
- Attacker has authenticated access capable of invoking browser actions
Remediation Advice
Reject unsupported navigation schemes and allow only explicitly safe non-network URLs. OpenClaw now blocks non-network schemes (such as file:, data:, and javascript:) while preserving about:blank.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= 2026.2.19-2 - Patched in planned next release:
2026.2.21
Fix Commit(s)
220bd95eff6838234e8b4b711f86d4565e16e401
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.21) so once npm 2026.2.21 is published, the advisory can be published directly.
OpenClaw thanks @q1uf3ng for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-45cg-2683-gfmq- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-610
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
7.1
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.21 contain an improper URL scheme validation vulnerability in the assertBrowserNavigationAllowed() function that allows authenticated users with browser-tool access to navigate to file:// URLs. Attackers can exploit this by accessing local files readable by the OpenClaw process user through browser snapshot and extraction actions to exfiltrate sensitive data.
- Record
CVE-2026-32008- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/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
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-610
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
7.1
OpenClaw < 2026.2.21 - Arbitrary Local File Read via Browser Navigation Guard
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.21 contain an improper URL scheme validation vulnerability in the assertBrowserNavigationAllowed() function that allows authenticated users with browser-tool access to navigate to file:// URLs. Attackers can exploit this by accessing local files readable by the OpenClaw process user through browser snapshot and extraction actions to exfiltrate sensitive data.
- Record
CVE-2026-32008- CVSS 4.0
- 7.1 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-610
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-45cg-2683-gfmq
6.5
OpenClaw browser navigation guard allowed non-network URL schemes, enabling authenticated browser-tool users to access file:// local files
Impact
assertBrowserNavigationAllowed() validated only http:/https: network targets but implicitly allowed other schemes. An authenticated gateway user could navigate browser sessions to file:// URLs and read local files via browser snapshot/extraction flows.
Affected Component
src/browser/navigation-guard.ts
Technical Reproduction
- Authenticate to a gateway that has browser tooling enabled.
- Invoke browser navigation with a
file://URL (for examplefile:///etc/passwd). - Read page content through browser snapshot/extract actions.
Demonstrated Impact
An attacker with valid gateway credentials and browser-tool access can exfiltrate local files readable by the OpenClaw process user (for example config/secrets in that user context).
Environment
- OpenClaw browser tool enabled
- Attacker has authenticated access capable of invoking browser actions
Remediation Advice
Reject unsupported navigation schemes and allow only explicitly safe non-network URLs. OpenClaw now blocks non-network schemes (such as file:, data:, and javascript:) while preserving about:blank.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= 2026.2.19-2 - Patched in planned next release:
2026.2.21
Fix Commit(s)
220bd95eff6838234e8b4b711f86d4565e16e401
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.21) so once npm 2026.2.21 is published, the advisory can be published directly.
OpenClaw thanks @q1uf3ng for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-45cg-2683-gfmq- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-610
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm |
before 2026.2.21 | 2026.2.21 |
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-2026-32008 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.1) in Openclaw, published March 3, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.43%, the 37th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.2.21.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-45cg-2683-gfmq
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/220bd95eff6838234e8b4b711f86d4565e16e401
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-arbitrary-local-file-read-via-browser-navigation-guard
github.com/advisories/GHSA-45cg-2683-gfmq
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/32xxx/CVE-2026-32008.json
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32008
github.com/openclaw/openclaw