CVE-2026-33579
OpenClaw < 2026.3.28 - Privilege Escalation via Missing Caller Scope Validation in Device Pair Approval
OpenClaw before 2026.3.28 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the /pair approve command path that fails to forward caller scopes into the core approval check. A caller with pairing privileges but without admin privileges can approve pending device requests asking for broader scopes including admin access by exploiting the missing scope validation in extensions/device-pair/index.ts and src/infra/device-pairing.ts.
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 < 2026.3.28 - Privilege Escalation via Missing Caller Scope Validation in Device Pair Approval
OpenClaw before 2026.3.28 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the /pair approve command path that fails to forward caller scopes into the core approval check. A caller with pairing privileges but without admin privileges can approve pending device requests asking for broader scopes including admin access by exploiting the missing scope validation in extensions/device-pair/index.ts and src/infra/device-pairing.ts.
- Record
CVE-2026-33579- 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-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-17437
OpenClaw before 2026.3.28 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the /pair approve command path that fails to forward caller scopes into the core approval check. A caller with pairing privileges but without admin privileges can approve pending device requests asking for broader scopes including admin access by exploiting the missing scope validation in extensions/device-pair/index.ts and src/infra/device-pairing.ts.
- Record
EUVD-2026-17437- 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-hc5h-pmr3-3497
OpenClaw: /pair approve command path omitted caller scope subsetting and reopened device pairing escalation
Summary
The /pair approve command path called device approval without forwarding caller scopes into the core approval check.
Impact
A caller that held pairing privileges but not admin privileges could approve a pending device request asking for broader scopes, including admin access.
Affected Component
extensions/device-pair/index.ts, src/infra/device-pairing.ts
Fixed Versions
- Affected:
<= 2026.3.24 - Patched:
>= 2026.3.28 - Latest stable
2026.3.28contains the fix.
Fix
Fixed by commit 4ee4960de2 (Pairing: forward caller scopes during approval).
OpenClaw thanks @AntAISecurityLab for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-hc5h-pmr3-3497- 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-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
OpenClaw before 2026.3.28 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the /pair approve command path that fails to forward caller scopes into the core approval check. A caller with pairing privileges but without admin privileges can approve pending device requests asking for broader scopes including admin access by exploiting the missing scope validation in extensions/device-pair/index.ts and src/infra/device-pairing.ts.
- Record
CVE-2026-33579- 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-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw < 2026.3.28 - Privilege Escalation via Missing Caller Scope Validation in Device Pair Approval
OpenClaw before 2026.3.28 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the /pair approve command path that fails to forward caller scopes into the core approval check. A caller with pairing privileges but without admin privileges can approve pending device requests asking for broader scopes including admin access by exploiting the missing scope validation in extensions/device-pair/index.ts and src/infra/device-pairing.ts.
- Record
CVE-2026-33579- 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-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-hc5h-pmr3-3497
OpenClaw: /pair approve command path omitted caller scope subsetting and reopened device pairing escalation
Summary
The /pair approve command path called device approval without forwarding caller scopes into the core approval check.
Impact
A caller that held pairing privileges but not admin privileges could approve a pending device request asking for broader scopes, including admin access.
Affected Component
extensions/device-pair/index.ts, src/infra/device-pairing.ts
Fixed Versions
- Affected:
<= 2026.3.24 - Patched:
>= 2026.3.28 - Latest stable
2026.3.28contains the fix.
Fix
Fixed by commit 4ee4960de2 (Pairing: forward caller scopes during approval).
OpenClaw thanks @AntAISecurityLab for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-hc5h-pmr3-3497- 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-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | atalovesyou/openclaw-security-checker | 2026-04-04 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-33579 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.4) in Openclaw, published March 31, 2026. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.84%, the 58th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.3.28.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-hc5h-pmr3-3497
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-missing-caller-scope-validation-in-device-pair-approval
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-33579