CVE-2026-32042 — OpenClaw < 2026.2.25 - Privilege Escalation via Unpaired Device Identity in Shared Gateway Authentication

Affected: OpenClaw

OpenClaw versions 2026.2.22 prior to 2026.2.25 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability allowing unpaired device identities to bypass operator pairing requirements and self-assign elevated operator scopes including operator.admin. Attackers with valid shared gateway authentication can present a self-signed unpaired device identity to request and obtain higher operator scopes before pairing approval is granted.

GHSA-553v-f69r-656j — OpenClaw unpaired device identity can bypass operator pairing and self-assign operator scopes with shared auth

Affected: npm: openclaw

### Summary A client using shared gateway auth could attach an unpaired device identity and request elevated operator scopes (including `operator.admin`) before pairing approval, enabling privilege escalation.

### Impact Attackers with valid shared gateway auth could self-assign higher operator scopes by presenting a self-signed, unpaired device identity.

### Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected: `>= 2026.2.22 <= 2026.2.24` - Latest published npm at triage time: `2026.2.24` - Planned patched release: `2026.2.25`

### Remediation Require pairing for operator device-identity sessions authenticated with shared token/password auth (except existing control-ui trusted-proxy/control-ui bypass policy paths).

### Fix Commit(s) - `8d1481cb4a9d31bd617e52dc8c392c35689d9dea`

### Release Process Note `patched_versions` is pre-set to the release (`>= 2026.2.25`). Advisory published with npm release `2026.2.25`.

OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

Most recent entries from all

CVE-2026-32042 — OpenClaw < 2026.2.25 - Privilege Escalation via Unpaired Device Identity in Shared Gateway Authentication

GHSA-553v-f69r-656j — OpenClaw unpaired device identity can bypass operator pairing and self-assign operator scopes with shared auth