CVE-2026-41344: OpenClaw Gateway `operator.write` Can Reach Admin-only Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-5h2w-qmfp-ggp6
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CVSS 5.4
CWE-284 CWE-863
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-41344 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.4) gateway `operator.write` can reach admin-only vulnerability (CWE-284: Improper Access Control) affecting OpenClaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves gateway `operator.write` can reach admin-only persisted `verboselevel` via `chat.send` `/verbose`. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.3.28.

CVE-2026-41344 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-41344
GHSA Identifier GHSA-5h2w-qmfp-ggp6
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.4
CWE Classification CWE-284: Improper Access Control
Affected Product OpenClaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.4

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2026-41344

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: 2026.3.28 
npm install openclaw@2026.3.28
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-2026-41344, 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 2026.3.28), 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-284: Improper Access Control, where the product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized 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 The `chat.send` path let authorized write-scoped callers persist `/verbose` session overrides even though the same stored session mutation is admin-only through `sessions.patch`. ## Impact A write-scoped gateway caller could persist verbose output for later runs and expose more reasoning or tool output than the operator intended. ## Affected Component `src/auto-reply/reply/directive-handling.impl.ts, src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts` ## Fixed Versions - Affected: `<= 2026.3.24` - Patched: `>= 2026.3.28` - Latest stable `2026.3.28` contains the fix. ## Fix Fixed by commit `c603123528` (`fix(gateway): require admin for persisted verbose defaults`).

CVE-2026-41344 Affected OpenClaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.3.28
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.3.28
2026.3.28

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-5h2w-qmfp-ggp6
NVD — CVE-2026-41344 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-41344
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/c6031235288a8d3bdf2243bd974340d8c8045bc2
OpenClaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw... WEB
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-chat-send-verbose-parameter

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-41344?
CVE-2026-41344 is a security vulnerability in OpenClaw involving Gateway `operator.write` can reach admin-only persisted `verboseLevel` via `chat.send` `/verbose` under CWE-284: Improper Access Control.
Which OpenClaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.3.28 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-41344?
Upgrading to 2026.3.28 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.3.28. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.3.28 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-41344?
CVE-2026-41344 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.4 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-41344?
CVE-2026-41344 is classified under CWE-284: Improper Access Control (The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-41344?
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-5h2w-qmfp-ggp6",
  "modified" : "2026-05-08T18:13:33Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-31T23:57:34Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-41344" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw: Gateway `operator.write` can reach admin-only persisted `verboseLevel` via `chat.send` `/verbose`",
  "details" : "## Summary\n\nThe `chat.send` path let authorized write-scoped callers persist `/verbose` session overrides even though the same stored session mutation is admin-only through `sessions.patch`.\n\n## Impact\n\nA write-scoped gateway caller could persist verbose output for later runs and expose more reasoning or tool output than the operator intended.\n\n## Affected Component\n\n`src/auto-reply/reply/directive-handling.impl.ts, src/gateway/sessions-patch.ts`\n\n## Fixed Versions\n\n- Affected: `<= 2026.3.24`\n- Patched: `>= 2026.3.28`\n- Latest stable `2026.3.28` contains the fix.\n\n## Fix\n\nFixed by commit `c603123528` (`fix(gateway): require admin for persisted verbose defaults`).",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/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:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.3.28"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2026.3.24"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-5h2w-qmfp-ggp6"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-41344"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/c6031235288a8d3bdf2243bd974340d8c8045bc2"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-chat-send-verbose-parameter"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-284", "CWE-863" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-31T23:57:34Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}