CVE-2026-42426
OpenClaw < 2026.4.8 - Improper Authorization in node.pair.approve via operator.write Scope
OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 contains an improper authorization vulnerability where the node.pair.approve method accepts operator.write scope instead of the narrower operator.pairing scope, allowing unprivileged users to approve node pairing. Attackers with operator.write permissions can bypass pairing approval restrictions to gain unauthorized access to exec-capable nodes.
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
8.7
OpenClaw < 2026.4.8 - Improper Authorization in node.pair.approve via operator.write Scope
OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 contains an improper authorization vulnerability where the node.pair.approve method accepts operator.write scope instead of the narrower operator.pairing scope, allowing unprivileged users to approve node pairing. Attackers with operator.write permissions can bypass pairing approval restrictions to gain unauthorized access to exec-capable nodes.
- Record
CVE-2026-42426- CVSS 4.0
- 8.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-26128
8.7
OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 contains an improper authorization vulnerability where the node.pair.approve method accepts operator.write scope instead of the narrower operator.pairing scope, allowing unprivileged users to approve node pairing. Attackers with operator.write permissions can bypass pairing approval restrictions to gain unauthorized access to exec-capable nodes.
- Record
EUVD-2026-26128- CVSS 4.0
- 8.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf
6.9
OpenClaw `node.pair.approve` placed in `operator.write` scope instead of `operator.pairing` allows unprivileged pairing approval
Impact
OpenClaw node.pair.approve placed in operator.write scope instead of operator.pairing allows unprivileged pairing approval.
The pairing approval method accepted operator.write instead of the narrower pairing scope and admin requirement for exec-capable nodes.
OpenClaw is a user-controlled local assistant. This advisory is scoped to the OpenClaw trust model and does not assume a multi-tenant service boundary.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= v2026.04.01 - Patched versions:
2026.4.8
Fix
The issue was fixed on main and is available in the patched npm version listed above. The verified fixed tree is commit d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5.
Verification
The fix was re-checked against main before publication, including targeted regression tests for the affected security boundary.
Credits
Thanks @nicky-cc of Tencent zhuque Lab (https://github.com/Tencent/AI-Infra-Guard) for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf- CVSS 4.0
- 6.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269, CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.7
OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 contains an improper authorization vulnerability where the node.pair.approve method accepts operator.write scope instead of the narrower operator.pairing scope, allowing unprivileged users to approve node pairing. Attackers with operator.write permissions can bypass pairing approval restrictions to gain unauthorized access to exec-capable nodes.
- Record
CVE-2026-42426- CVSS 4.0
- 8.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/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
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.7
OpenClaw < 2026.4.8 - Improper Authorization in node.pair.approve via operator.write Scope
OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 contains an improper authorization vulnerability where the node.pair.approve method accepts operator.write scope instead of the narrower operator.pairing scope, allowing unprivileged users to approve node pairing. Attackers with operator.write permissions can bypass pairing approval restrictions to gain unauthorized access to exec-capable nodes.
- Record
CVE-2026-42426- CVSS 4.0
- 8.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf
6.9
OpenClaw `node.pair.approve` placed in `operator.write` scope instead of `operator.pairing` allows unprivileged pairing approval
Impact
OpenClaw node.pair.approve placed in operator.write scope instead of operator.pairing allows unprivileged pairing approval.
The pairing approval method accepted operator.write instead of the narrower pairing scope and admin requirement for exec-capable nodes.
OpenClaw is a user-controlled local assistant. This advisory is scoped to the OpenClaw trust model and does not assume a multi-tenant service boundary.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= v2026.04.01 - Patched versions:
2026.4.8
Fix
The issue was fixed on main and is available in the patched npm version listed above. The verified fixed tree is commit d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5.
Verification
The fix was re-checked against main before publication, including targeted regression tests for the affected security boundary.
Credits
Thanks @nicky-cc of Tencent zhuque Lab (https://github.com/Tencent/AI-Infra-Guard) for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf- CVSS 4.0
- 6.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269, CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm |
before 2026.4.8 | 2026.4.8 |
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-2026-42426 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.7) in Openclaw, published April 9, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.28%, the 20th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.4.8.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-improper-authorization-in-node-pair-approve-via-operator-write-scope
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-42426
github.com/advisories/GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/42xxx/CVE-2026-42426.json
github.com/openclaw/openclaw