GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p: Openclaw OpenClaw Bootstrap Setup Codes Could Vulnerability

HIGH
Share
CWE-269
Published
Advisory Summary

GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p is a HIGH openclaw bootstrap setup codes could vulnerability (CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management) affecting Openclaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves openclaw bootstrap setup codes could be replayed to escalate pending pairing scopes before approval. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.3.13.

GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p at a Glance

CVE Identifier N/A
GHSA Identifier GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management
Affected Product Openclaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p

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: 2026.3.13 
npm install openclaw@2026.3.13
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 GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p, 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 2026.3.13), 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-269: Improper Privilege Management, where the product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor. 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

### Summary `openclaw` versions `<= 2026.3.12` allowed bootstrap setup codes to be replayed before approval, which could widen the scopes on a pending device pairing request. ### Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (`npm`) - Affected versions: `<= 2026.3.12` - Fixed version: `2026.3.13` ### Details The vulnerable path was bootstrap token verification in `src/infra/device-bootstrap.ts`. In affected releases, a valid bootstrap setup code could be verified more than once before the pairing request was approved. That allowed a second verification attempt to mutate a pending device pairing and request broader scopes, including escalation from a lower operator scope to `operator.admin`, before an approver finalized the pairing. This issue is in scope under OpenClaw's trust model because bootstrap setup codes are an authentication primitive for device pairing and the replay changed the privileges granted to the pending device. ### Fix `openclaw@2026.3.13` makes bootstrap setup codes single-use. Current code consumes the bootstrap token record on the first successful verification, so replay attempts fail before pending scopes can be widened. Regression coverage exists in `src/infra/device-pairing.test.ts` (`rejects bootstrap token replay before pending scope escalation can be approved`). ### Fix Commit(s) - `1803d16d5cec970c54b0e1ac46b31b1cbade335c` Thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p Affected Openclaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.3.13
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.3.13
2026.3.13

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/1803d16d5cec970c54b0e1ac46b31b1cbade335c
Openclaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p?
GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p is a security vulnerability in Openclaw involving OpenClaw bootstrap setup codes could be replayed to escalate pending pairing scopes before approval under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management.
Which Openclaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.3.13 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p?
Upgrading to 2026.3.13 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.3.13. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.3.13 or later.
What CWE is associated with GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p?
GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p is classified under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management (The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.).
How can I check npm dependencies for GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p?
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-63f5-hhc7-cx6p",
  "modified" : "2026-03-16T20:40:23Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-16T20:40:23Z",
  "aliases" : [ ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw bootstrap setup codes could be replayed to escalate pending pairing scopes before approval",
  "details" : "### Summary\n`openclaw` versions `<= 2026.3.12` allowed bootstrap setup codes to be replayed before approval, which could widen the scopes on a pending device pairing request.\n\n### Affected Packages / Versions\n- Package: `openclaw` (`npm`)\n- Affected versions: `<= 2026.3.12`\n- Fixed version: `2026.3.13`\n\n### Details\nThe vulnerable path was bootstrap token verification in `src/infra/device-bootstrap.ts`. In affected releases, a valid bootstrap setup code could be verified more than once before the pairing request was approved. That allowed a second verification attempt to mutate a pending device pairing and request broader scopes, including escalation from a lower operator scope to `operator.admin`, before an approver finalized the pairing.\n\nThis issue is in scope under OpenClaw's trust model because bootstrap setup codes are an authentication primitive for device pairing and the replay changed the privileges granted to the pending device.\n\n### Fix\n`openclaw@2026.3.13` makes bootstrap setup codes single-use. Current code consumes the bootstrap token record on the first successful verification, so replay attempts fail before pending scopes can be widened.\n\nRegression coverage exists in `src/infra/device-pairing.test.ts` (`rejects bootstrap token replay before pending scope escalation can be approved`).\n\n### Fix Commit(s)\n- `1803d16d5cec970c54b0e1ac46b31b1cbade335c`\n\nThanks @tdjackey for reporting.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.3.13"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2026.3.12"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-63f5-hhc7-cx6p"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/1803d16d5cec970c54b0e1ac46b31b1cbade335c"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-269" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-16T20:40:23Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}