CVE-2026-53862: OpenClaw Bootstrap Token Replay Could Widen Vulnerability

LOW
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-9v8j-9c9g-w66c
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CVSS 4.2
CWE-269
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-53862 is a LOW (CVSS 4.2) bootstrap token replay could widen vulnerability (CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management) affecting OpenClaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves bootstrap token replay could widen pending pairing scopes. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.5.12.

CVE-2026-53862 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-53862
GHSA Identifier GHSA-9v8j-9c9g-w66c
Severity LOW
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 4.2
CWE Classification CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management
Affected Product OpenClaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 4.2

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2026-53862

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: 2026.5.12 
npm install openclaw@2026.5.12
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-2026-53862, 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 2026.5.12), 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 Bootstrap token replay could widen pending pairing scopes. In affected versions, a caller with access to a pending bootstrap token could reuse the token before approval with a broader requested scope set. This advisory is scoped to the named feature and configuration. It does not change OpenClaw's trusted-operator model: authenticated Gateway operators, installed plugins, and intentional local execution surfaces remain trusted unless a separate policy, approval, allowlist, sandbox, or auth boundary is crossed. ### Impact When the affected feature is enabled and reachable, this could present or retain broader pending pairing authority than intended. Practical impact depends on the operator's configuration and whether lower-trust input can reach that path. ### Patched Versions The first stable patched version is `2026.5.12`. ### Mitigations treat pairing codes as sensitive and cancel unexpected pending pairings until patched. As general hardening, keep channel and tool allowlists narrow, avoid sharing one Gateway between mutually untrusted users, and disable the affected feature when it is not needed.

CVE-2026-53862 Affected OpenClaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.5.12
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.5.12
2026.5.12

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-9v8j-9c9g-w66c
NVD — CVE-2026-53862 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53862
OpenClaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw... WEB
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-bootstrap-token-replay-via-pending-pairing-scope-widening

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-53862?
CVE-2026-53862 is a security vulnerability in OpenClaw involving Bootstrap token replay could widen pending pairing scopes under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management.
Which OpenClaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.5.12 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-53862?
Upgrading to 2026.5.12 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.5.12. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.5.12 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-53862?
CVE-2026-53862 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.2 (LOW) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-53862?
CVE-2026-53862 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 CVE-2026-53862?
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-9v8j-9c9g-w66c",
  "modified" : "2026-06-18T20:12:43Z",
  "published" : "2026-06-18T20:12:43Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-53862" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw: Bootstrap token replay could widen pending pairing scopes",
  "details" : "### Summary\n\nBootstrap token replay could widen pending pairing scopes. In affected versions, a caller with access to a pending bootstrap token could reuse the token before approval with a broader requested scope set.\n\nThis advisory is scoped to the named feature and configuration. It does not change OpenClaw's trusted-operator model: authenticated Gateway operators, installed plugins, and intentional local execution surfaces remain trusted unless a separate policy, approval, allowlist, sandbox, or auth boundary is crossed.\n\n### Impact\n\nWhen the affected feature is enabled and reachable, this could present or retain broader pending pairing authority than intended. Practical impact depends on the operator's configuration and whether lower-trust input can reach that path.\n\n### Patched Versions\n\nThe first stable patched version is `2026.5.12`.\n\n### Mitigations\n\ntreat pairing codes as sensitive and cancel unexpected pending pairings until patched. As general hardening, keep channel and tool allowlists narrow, avoid sharing one Gateway between mutually untrusted users, and disable the affected feature when it is not needed.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.5.12"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2026.5.10-beta.2"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-9v8j-9c9g-w66c"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53862"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-bootstrap-token-replay-via-pending-pairing-scope-widening"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-269" ],
    "severity" : "LOW",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-06-18T20:12:43Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}