CVE-2026-42432: OpenClaw Node Pairing Reconnect Command Escalation Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-5wj5-87vq-39xm
Share
CVSS 7.8
CWE-288 CWE-863
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-42432 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.8) node pairing reconnect command escalation vulnerability (CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel) affecting OpenClaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves node pairing reconnect command escalation bypasses operator.admin scope requirement. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.4.8.

CVE-2026-42432 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-42432
GHSA Identifier GHSA-5wj5-87vq-39xm
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.8
CWE Classification CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel
Affected Product OpenClaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2026-42432

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected OpenClaw dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

openclaw fixed: 2026.4.8 
npm install openclaw@2026.4.8
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

npm ls openclaw

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2026-42432, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls openclaw

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of OpenClaw in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2026.4.8), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls openclaw command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel, where the product requires authentication, but the product has an alternate path or channel that does not require authentication. In OpenClaw, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

## Impact Node Pairing Reconnect Command Escalation Bypasses operator.admin Scope Requirement. A previously paired node could reconnect with a broader command set, including exec-capable commands, without forcing the operator/admin re-pairing path. 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: `<=2026.4.5` - 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 @zsxsoft and @KeenSecurityLab for reporting.

CVE-2026-42432 Affected OpenClaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.4.8
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.4.8
2026.4.8

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-5wj5-87vq-39xm
NVD — CVE-2026-42432 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-42432
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5
OpenClaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw... WEB
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-command-escalation-via-node-pairing-reconnect-bypass

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-42432?
CVE-2026-42432 is a security vulnerability in OpenClaw involving Node Pairing Reconnect Command Escalation Bypasses operator.admin Scope Requirement under CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel.
Which OpenClaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.4.8 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-42432?
Upgrading to 2026.4.8 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.4.8. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.4.8 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-42432?
CVE-2026-42432 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-42432?
CVE-2026-42432 is classified under CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (The product requires authentication, but the product has an alternate path or channel that does not require authentication.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-42432?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls openclaw'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-5wj5-87vq-39xm",
  "modified" : "2026-06-08T23:24:37Z",
  "published" : "2026-04-09T17:35:53Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-42432" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw: Node Pairing Reconnect Command Escalation Bypasses operator.admin Scope Requirement",
  "details" : "## Impact\n\nNode Pairing Reconnect Command Escalation Bypasses operator.admin Scope Requirement.\n\nA previously paired node could reconnect with a broader command set, including exec-capable commands, without forcing the operator/admin re-pairing path.\n\nOpenClaw is a user-controlled local assistant. This advisory is scoped to the OpenClaw trust model and does not assume a multi-tenant service boundary.\n\n## Affected Packages / Versions\n\n- Package: `openclaw` (npm)\n- Affected versions: `<=2026.4.5`\n- Patched versions: `2026.4.8`\n\n## Fix\n\nThe issue was fixed on `main` and is available in the patched npm version listed above. The verified fixed tree is commit `d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5`.\n\n## Verification\n\nThe fix was re-checked against `main` before publication, including targeted regression tests for the affected security boundary.\n\n## Credits\n\nThanks @zsxsoft and @KeenSecurityLab for reporting.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.4.8"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-5wj5-87vq-39xm"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-42432"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-command-escalation-via-node-pairing-reconnect-bypass"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-288", "CWE-863" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-04-09T17:35:53Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-04-28T19:37:47Z"
  }
}