CVE-2026-43574
OpenClaw < 2026.4.12 - Improper Authorization via Empty Approver Lists
OpenClaw before 2026.4.12 contains an improper authorization vulnerability in helper-backed channels where empty resolved approver lists are interpreted as explicit approval authorization. Attackers can resolve pending approvals without proper authorization by exploiting this logic flaw if they know an approval id.
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
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
OpenClaw < 2026.4.12 - Improper Authorization via Empty Approver Lists
OpenClaw before 2026.4.12 contains an improper authorization vulnerability in helper-backed channels where empty resolved approver lists are interpreted as explicit approval authorization. Attackers can resolve pending approvals without proper authorization by exploiting this logic flaw if they know an approval id.
- Record
CVE-2026-43574- CVSS 4.0
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/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:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-183
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-27299
OpenClaw before 2026.4.12 contains an improper authorization vulnerability in helper-backed channels where empty resolved approver lists are interpreted as explicit approval authorization. Attackers can resolve pending approvals without proper authorization by exploiting this logic flaw if they know an approval id.
- Record
EUVD-2026-27299- CVSS 4.0
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-49cg-279w-m73x
OpenClaw: Empty approver lists could grant explicit approval authorization
Summary
Empty approver lists could grant explicit approval authorization.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw - Ecosystem: npm
- Affected versions:
< 2026.4.12 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.12
Impact
For helper-backed channels, an empty resolved approver list could be interpreted as explicit approval authorization, allowing a sender outside the normal channel authorization gate to resolve pending approvals if they knew an approval id.
Technical Details
The fix prevents empty approver lists from granting explicit approval authorization and adds regression coverage for unauthorized senders.
Fix
The issue was fixed in #65714. The first stable tag containing the fix is v2026.4.12, and [email protected] includes the fix.
Fix Commit(s)
0a105c0900de701d2ee9f1abc96b017afbd0afdd- PR: #65714
Release Process Note
Users should upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.12 or newer. The latest npm release, 2026.4.14, already includes the fix.
Credits
Thanks to @anshumanbh for reporting this issue.
- Record
GHSA-49cg-279w-m73x- CVSS 4.0
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/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:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-183, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
OpenClaw before 2026.4.12 contains an improper authorization vulnerability in helper-backed channels where empty resolved approver lists are interpreted as explicit approval authorization. Attackers can resolve pending approvals without proper authorization by exploiting this logic flaw if they know an approval id.
- Record
CVE-2026-43574- CVSS 4.0
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/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:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-183
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw < 2026.4.12 - Improper Authorization via Empty Approver Lists
OpenClaw before 2026.4.12 contains an improper authorization vulnerability in helper-backed channels where empty resolved approver lists are interpreted as explicit approval authorization. Attackers can resolve pending approvals without proper authorization by exploiting this logic flaw if they know an approval id.
- Record
CVE-2026-43574- CVSS 4.0
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-183
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-49cg-279w-m73x
OpenClaw: Empty approver lists could grant explicit approval authorization
Summary
Empty approver lists could grant explicit approval authorization.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw - Ecosystem: npm
- Affected versions:
< 2026.4.12 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.12
Impact
For helper-backed channels, an empty resolved approver list could be interpreted as explicit approval authorization, allowing a sender outside the normal channel authorization gate to resolve pending approvals if they knew an approval id.
Technical Details
The fix prevents empty approver lists from granting explicit approval authorization and adds regression coverage for unauthorized senders.
Fix
The issue was fixed in #65714. The first stable tag containing the fix is v2026.4.12, and [email protected] includes the fix.
Fix Commit(s)
0a105c0900de701d2ee9f1abc96b017afbd0afdd- PR: #65714
Release Process Note
Users should upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.12 or newer. The latest npm release, 2026.4.14, already includes the fix.
Credits
Thanks to @anshumanbh for reporting this issue.
- Record
GHSA-49cg-279w-m73x- CVSS 4.0
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/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:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-183, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm |
before 2026.4.12 | 2026.4.12 |
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-2026-43574 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.0) in Openclaw, published April 17, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.24%, the 15th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.4.12.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-49cg-279w-m73x
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-improper-authorization-via-empty-approver-lists
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43574