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CVE-2026-28466

CRITICAL

OpenClaw Vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via Node Invoke Approval Bypass in Gateway

Published March 2, 2026Updated March 6, 2026Source: osv

Summary

### Summary A remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in the gateway-to-node invocation path allowed an authenticated gateway client to bypass node-host exec approvals by injecting internal control fields into `node.invoke` parameters. ### Affected Component - Gateway method: `node.invoke` for node command `system.run` - Node host runner: exec approval gating for `system.run` ### Impact If an attacker can authenticate to a gateway (for example via a leaked/shared gateway token or a paired device token with `operator.write`), they could execute arbitrary commands on connected node hosts that support `system.run`. This can lead to full compromise of developer workstations, CI runners, and servers running the node host. ### Technical Details The gateway forwarded user-controlled `params` to node hosts without sanitizing internal approval fields. The node host treated `params.approved === true` and/or `params.approvalDecision` as sufficient to skip the approval workflow. ### Fix Patched in **OpenClaw `2026.2.14`**. - Commits: - `318379cdb8d045da0009b0051bd0e712e5c65e2d` - `a7af646fdab124a7536998db6bd6ad567d2b06b0` - `c1594627421f95b6bc4ad7c606657dc75b5ad0ce` - `0af76f5f0e93540efbdf054895216c398692afcd` - Gateway strips untrusted approval control fields from `system.run` user input. - Gateway only re-attaches approval flags when `params.runId` references a valid `exec.approval.request` record and the request context matches. Approval IDs are bound to the requesting device identity (stable across reconnects), preventing replay by other clients. - Gateway forwards only an allowlisted set of `system.run` parameters, preventing future control-field smuggling. ### Mitigations - Upgrade to `2026.2.14` or later. - Restrict access to the gateway (do not expose it to untrusted networks/users). - Rotate gateway credentials if you suspect token/password exposure. - Disable remote command execution on nodes by blocking `system.run` at the gateway (`gateway.nodes.denyCommands`) and/or by configuring node exec security to `deny`. ### Credits OpenClaw thanks @222n5 for reporting this issue.

Remediation

Upgrade to the fixed version using your package manager.

npm
Update openclaw to 2026.2.14 or later
npm install openclaw@2026.2.14

After upgrading, run your dependency scanner again to confirm the vulnerability is resolved.

Affected Packages (1)

PackageEcosystemAffectedFixed In
openclaw
npm
All versions2026.2.14

Vulnerability Classification

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) identifiers for this vulnerability type.

CVSS Score Breakdown

What the CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) 9.9 score means for each attack dimension.

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-28466?
OpenClaw Vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via Node Invoke Approval Bypass in Gateway This vulnerability has been assigned a severity rating of CRITICAL (CVSS score: 9.9/10).
How do I check if my project is affected by CVE-2026-28466?
CVE-2026-28466 affects openclaw. Use GeekWala's free vulnerability scanner to check your dependencies against CVE-2026-28466 and 200,000+ other known vulnerabilities.

Severity & Exploitability

CVSS Score
9.9

Exploitation is straightforward and causes maximum impact. Patch immediately.

Also Known As

GHSA-gv46-4xfq-jv58

Related CVEs

  • CVE-2026-32922
    CRITICAL

    OpenClaw: Pairing-scoped device tokens could mint `operator.admin` and reach node RCE

  • CVE-2026-33579
    CRITICAL

    OpenClaw: /pair approve command path omitted caller scope subsetting and reopened device pairing escalation

  • CVE-2026-35639
    CRITICAL

    OpenClaw Gateway: RCE and Privilege Escalation from operator.pairing to operator.admin via device.pair.approve

  • CVE-2026-28363
    HIGH

    OpenClaw's tools.exec.safeBins sort long-option abbreviation bypass can skip exec approval in allowlist mode

  • CVE-2026-28470
    HIGH

    OpenClaw has an exec allowlist bypass via command substitution/backticks inside double quotes

  • CVE-2026-41386
    HIGH

    OpenClaw: Unbound bootstrap setup codes allow privilege escalation during pairing

  • CVE-2026-41378
    HIGH

    OpenClaw: Paired node escalates to gateway RCE via unrestricted node.event agent dispatch

  • CVE-2026-32010
    MEDIUM

    In OpenClaw, manually adding sort to tools.exec.safeBins could bypass allowlist approval via --compress-program

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