CVE-2026-43535: OpenClaw Collect-mode Queue Batches Could Reuse Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-jwrq-8g5x-5fhm
CVSS 6.8
CWE-266 CWE-863
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-43535 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.8) collect-mode queue batches could reuse vulnerability (CWE-266: Incorrect Privilege Assignment) affecting OpenClaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves collect-mode queue batches could reuse the last sender authorization context. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.4.14.

CVE-2026-43535 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-43535
GHSA Identifier GHSA-jwrq-8g5x-5fhm
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.8
CWE Classification CWE-266: Incorrect Privilege Assignment
Affected Product OpenClaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.8

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2026-43535

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: 2026.4.14
npm install openclaw@2026.4.14
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-2026-43535, 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 2026.4.14), 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-266: Incorrect Privilege Assignment, where a product incorrectly assigns a privilege to a particular 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 Collect-mode queue batches could reuse the last sender authorization context. ## Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` - Ecosystem: npm - Affected versions: `< 2026.4.14` - Patched versions: `>= 2026.4.14` ## Impact Collect-mode queued messages from different senders could be drained as one batch using the final sender's authorization context, allowing earlier messages to inherit a more privileged context. ## Technical Details The fix splits collect-mode batches by sender authorization context before dispatch, preserving each message's own trust state. ## Fix The issue was fixed in #66024. The first stable tag containing the fix is `v2026.4.14`, and `openclaw@2026.4.14` includes the fix. ## Fix Commit(s) - `43d4be902755c970b3d15608679761877718da69` - PR: #66024 ## Release Process Note Users should upgrade to `openclaw` 2026.4.14 or newer. The latest npm release, `2026.4.14`, already includes the fix. ## Credits Thanks to @zsxsoft, with sponsorship from @KeenSecurityLab and @qclawer for reporting this issue.

CVE-2026-43535 Affected OpenClaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.4.14
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm
< 2026.4.14
2026.4.14

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-43535?
CVE-2026-43535 is a security vulnerability in OpenClaw involving Collect-mode queue batches could reuse the last sender authorization context under CWE-266: Incorrect Privilege Assignment.
Which OpenClaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.4.14 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-43535?
Upgrading to 2026.4.14 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.4.14. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.4.14 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-43535?
CVE-2026-43535 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.8 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-43535?
CVE-2026-43535 is classified under CWE-266: Incorrect Privilege Assignment (A product incorrectly assigns a privilege to a particular actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-43535?
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
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-jwrq-8g5x-5fhm",
  "modified" : "2026-05-08T01:32:26Z",
  "published" : "2026-04-17T21:35:35Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-43535" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw: Collect-mode queue batches could reuse the last sender authorization context",
  "details" : "## Summary\n\nCollect-mode queue batches could reuse the last sender authorization context.\n\n## Affected Packages / Versions\n\n- Package: `openclaw`\n- Ecosystem: npm\n- Affected versions: `< 2026.4.14`\n- Patched versions: `>= 2026.4.14`\n\n## Impact\n\nCollect-mode queued messages from different senders could be drained as one batch using the final sender's authorization context, allowing earlier messages to inherit a more privileged context.\n\n## Technical Details\n\nThe fix splits collect-mode batches by sender authorization context before dispatch, preserving each message's own trust state.\n\n## Fix\n\nThe issue was fixed in #66024. The first stable tag containing the fix is `v2026.4.14`, and `openclaw@2026.4.14` includes the fix.\n\n## Fix Commit(s)\n\n- `43d4be902755c970b3d15608679761877718da69`\n- PR: #66024\n\n## Release Process Note\n\nUsers should upgrade to `openclaw` 2026.4.14 or newer. The latest npm release, `2026.4.14`, already includes the fix.\n\n## Credits\n\nThanks to @zsxsoft, with sponsorship from @KeenSecurityLab and @qclawer for reporting this issue.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.4.14"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-jwrq-8g5x-5fhm"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43535"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/66024"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/43d4be902755c970b3d15608679761877718da69"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-authorization-context-reuse-in-collect-mode-queue-batches"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-266", "CWE-863" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-04-17T21:35:35Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-05-05T12:16:19Z"
  }
}