GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf: OpenClaw: scope misconfiguration enables unauthorized node pairing

GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf MEDIUM
Published April 9, 2026
CISO Take

OpenClaw's node pairing approval method (`node.pair.approve`) was incorrectly gated by the broad `operator.write` scope instead of the narrower `operator.pairing` scope with admin enforcement, meaning any operator with write access could approve exec-capable node connections they were never authorized to control. While this CVE carries a medium rating with no public exploit and no CISA KEV inclusion, the risk context is materially worse than the score suggests: OpenClaw has accumulated 60 CVEs in the same package, and AIID #1368 documents that its skill ecosystem was actively weaponized in February 2026 to deliver AMOS credential stealer — making any privilege boundary failure in this agent a compounding concern. Upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.8 immediately and audit all operators holding `operator.write` scope for unauthorized node pairings that may have been approved before the patch.

Sources: GitHub Advisory ATLAS

What is the risk?

Medium risk with elevated contextual concern. The vulnerability is trivially exploitable by any operator with write access — no special tooling or AI knowledge required — but the attack surface is bounded by OpenClaw's local trust model (no multi-tenant boundary). The primary amplifying factor is the package's security track record: 60 CVEs and a documented malware delivery incident via its ecosystem (AIID #1368) suggest inadequate security discipline in this codebase. Organizations running OpenClaw in environments where multiple operators share access should treat this as higher-priority than the CVSS alone implies.

What systems are affected?

Package Ecosystem Vulnerable Range Patched
openclaw npm < 2026.4.8 2026.4.8
4 dependents 91% patched ~0d to patch Full package profile →

Do you use openclaw? You're affected.

Severity & Risk

CVSS 3.1
N/A
EPSS
N/A
Exploitation Status
No known exploitation
Sophistication
Trivial

What should I do?

5 steps
  1. Upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.8 (commit d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5) immediately.

  2. Audit all existing node pairings: review which nodes were approved and by which operator accounts prior to patching — revoke any pairings that lack a legitimate business justification.

  3. Apply principle of least privilege to operator scopes: review all accounts holding operator.write and remove that scope where operator.read or narrower scopes suffice.

  4. Monitor agent execution logs for anomalous node-initiated actions in the post-patching window.

  5. Given the package's 60-CVE history, evaluate whether openclaw is a justified dependency in your environment or whether a more actively maintained alternative exists.

Classification

Compliance Impact

This CVE is relevant to:

EU AI Act
Art. 9 - Risk management system
ISO 42001
A.6.2 - AI system access control A.8.2 - AI System Design
NIST AI RMF
GOVERN 1.1 - Policies and procedures for AI risk management GOVERN 1.7 - Processes for Identifying AI Risks
OWASP LLM Top 10
LLM06 - Excessive Agency LLM08 - Excessive Agency

Related AI Incidents (1)

Source: AI Incident Database (AIID)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf?

OpenClaw's node pairing approval method (`node.pair.approve`) was incorrectly gated by the broad `operator.write` scope instead of the narrower `operator.pairing` scope with admin enforcement, meaning any operator with write access could approve exec-capable node connections they were never authorized to control. While this CVE carries a medium rating with no public exploit and no CISA KEV inclusion, the risk context is materially worse than the score suggests: OpenClaw has accumulated 60 CVEs in the same package, and AIID #1368 documents that its skill ecosystem was actively weaponized in February 2026 to deliver AMOS credential stealer — making any privilege boundary failure in this agent a compounding concern. Upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.8 immediately and audit all operators holding `operator.write` scope for unauthorized node pairings that may have been approved before the patch.

Is GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf actively exploited?

No confirmed active exploitation of GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf has been reported, but organizations should still patch proactively.

How to fix GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf?

1. Upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.8 (commit d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5) immediately. 2. Audit all existing node pairings: review which nodes were approved and by which operator accounts prior to patching — revoke any pairings that lack a legitimate business justification. 3. Apply principle of least privilege to operator scopes: review all accounts holding `operator.write` and remove that scope where `operator.read` or narrower scopes suffice. 4. Monitor agent execution logs for anomalous node-initiated actions in the post-patching window. 5. Given the package's 60-CVE history, evaluate whether openclaw is a justified dependency in your environment or whether a more actively maintained alternative exists.

What systems are affected by GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf?

This vulnerability affects the following AI/ML architecture patterns: local AI agents, agent frameworks, AI developer tooling.

What is the CVSS score for GHSA-67mf-f936-ppxf?

No CVSS score has been assigned yet.

AI Security Impact

Affected AI Architectures

local AI agentsagent frameworksAI developer tooling

MITRE ATLAS Techniques

AML.T0010.005 AI Agent Tool
AML.T0012 Valid Accounts
AML.T0053 AI Agent Tool Invocation
AML.T0081 Modify AI Agent Configuration
AML.T0112.000 Local AI Agent

Compliance Controls Affected

EU AI Act: Art. 9
ISO 42001: A.6.2, A.8.2
NIST AI RMF: GOVERN 1.1, GOVERN 1.7
OWASP LLM Top 10: LLM06, LLM08

Technical Details

Original Advisory

## Impact OpenClaw `node.pair.approve` placed in `operator.write` scope instead of `operator.pairing` allows unprivileged pairing approval. The pairing approval method accepted operator.write instead of the narrower pairing scope and admin requirement for exec-capable nodes. OpenClaw is a user-controlled local assistant. This advisory is scoped to the OpenClaw trust model and does not assume a multi-tenant service boundary. ## Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected versions: `<= v2026.04.01` - Patched versions: `2026.4.8` ## Fix The issue was fixed on `main` and is available in the patched npm version listed above. The verified fixed tree is commit `d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5`. ## Verification The fix was re-checked against `main` before publication, including targeted regression tests for the affected security boundary. ## Credits Thanks @nicky-cc of Tencent zhuque Lab ([https://github.com/Tencent/AI-Infra-Guard](https://github.com/Tencent/AI-Infra-Guard)) for reporting.

Exploitation Scenario

An attacker who has compromised or created an operator account with `operator.write` scope (a common permission for automation integrations) calls `node.pair.approve` against an exec-capable node they control. Under the correct scope model this would be denied — only `operator.pairing` with admin rights should authorize exec-capable pairings. Under the vulnerable version, the write-scoped token is accepted and the node is paired. The attacker's node now operates as a trusted execution endpoint within OpenClaw's agent trust model, enabling arbitrary command execution under the agent's local privilege context. This is particularly relevant given AIID #1368, where OpenClaw's skill ecosystem was abused to deliver credential stealers — a paired malicious node could replicate that delivery vector without requiring a malicious skill package.

Timeline

Published
April 9, 2026
Last Modified
April 9, 2026
First Seen
April 9, 2026

Related Vulnerabilities