Authenticated privilege escalation via scope widening
Published Apr 28, 2026 · Updated Apr 28, 2026
Incorrect authorization in OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 allows remote authenticated users to gain runtime write access via gateway HTTP requests. The gateway plugin HTTP authentication path converts identity-bearing operator.read requests into operator.write runtime permissions instead of preserving the declared scope. Exploitation requires low-privileged access and a plugin HTTP route using gateway authentication behind a trusted proxy; it enables unauthorized runtime changes but does not establish a multi-tenant boundary.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect authorization in OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 allows remote authenticated users to gain runtime write access via gateway HTTP requests. The gateway plugin HTTP authentication path converts identity-bearing operator.read requests into operator.write runtime permissions instead of preserving the declared scope. Exploitation requires low-privileged access and a plugin HTTP route using gateway authentication behind a trusted proxy; it enables unauthorized runtime changes but does not establish a multi-tenant boundary.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-42429
- Published
- Apr 28, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 28, 2026
- Vendor
- OpenClaw Foundation
- Product
- OpenClaw
- Classifications
- CWE-863, T1068
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 28, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 28, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <2026.4.8
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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