GHSA-qvr7-g57c-mrc7 CVE-2026-32970
OpenClaw: Unavailable local auth SecretRefs could fall through to remote credentials in local mode
- Severity
- 2.0 / 10
- Low · CVSS 4.0
- Exploit chance (EPSS)
- 0.11%
- Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. Higher than 1.09% of scored vulnerabilities.
- Known exploited
- No
- Not in CISA's catalog
- Weakness
- CWE-636 Not Failing Securely ('Failing Open')
- Fix
2026.3.11- Upgrade openclaw to this version or later
Description
Summary
In affected versions of openclaw, local gateway helper credential resolution treated configured but unavailable gateway.auth.token and gateway.auth.password SecretRefs as if they were unset and could fall back to gateway.remote.* credentials in local mode.
Impact
This could cause local CLI and helper paths to select the wrong credential source instead of failing closed for configured local auth SecretRefs. We did not confirm a server-side gateway-authentication boundary bypass for this issue.
Affected Packages and Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= 2026.3.8 - Fixed in:
2026.3.11
Technical Details
The local-mode fallback logic decided whether remote credential fallback was allowed based on resolved credential values rather than on whether the local auth input was actually configured. A configured-but-unavailable local SecretRef therefore looked "absent" to the helper layer.
Fix
OpenClaw now tracks whether the local auth input is configured separately from whether it resolves successfully. In local mode, remote fallback is allowed only when the matching local auth input is truly unset. The fix shipped in openclaw@2026.3.11.
Workarounds
Upgrade to 2026.3.11 or later.
Affected versions
npm
| Package | Vulnerable | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| openclaw | < 2026.3.11 |
2026.3.11 |
How to fix
Move to the fixed version or later with your package manager, update the lockfile, and run your tests. If the package only arrives through another dependency, upgrade that dependency first. If none of its releases pulls a fixed version yet, force the version with your package manager's override.
openclaw npm → 2026.3.11
- npm
npm install openclaw@2026.3.11- yarn
yarn add openclaw@2026.3.11- pnpm
pnpm add openclaw@2026.3.11
Severity breakdown
CVSS 4.0 2.0
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- High
- Attack requirements
- None
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- Low
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- None
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- None
- Confidentiality (subsequent systems)
- None
- Integrity (subsequent systems)
- None
- Availability (subsequent systems)
- None
- Exploit maturity
- Not defined
- Scope
- X
CVSS 3.1 2.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- High
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Weakness
CWE-636: Not Failing Securely ('Failing Open')
When the product encounters an error condition or failure, its design requires it to fall back to a state that is less secure than other options that are available, such as selecting the weakest encryption algorithm or using the most permissive access control restrictions.
How to prevent it
- Architecture and Design: Subdivide and allocate resources and components so that a failure in one part does not affect the entire product.
References
Advisories
Packages
Other links
Timeline
- Published
- Last updated by the source
- Latest EPSS score
Related advisories
| Advisory | Severity | Why it's related |
|---|---|---|
| GHSA-3x84-qq85-fj65 OpenClaw: Browser CDP discovery could accept blocked WebSocket URLs | High | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-9c3v-684m-579c OpenClaw MCP SSE redirects could forward Authorization headers | Medium | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-f397-5vjw-v2c2 OpenClaw: Shell inline-command parsing could miss an allowlist check | High | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-rx78-29qr-5hq8 OpenClaw: Workspace-derived service PATH could influence trash command selection | High | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-ccwh-wwpp-6wg5 OpenClaw: Host environment sanitizer missed two Node.js control variables | High | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-985f-72mj-8gf7 OpenClaw: Tool group policy callers could accept unvalidated group IDs | Medium | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-9v8j-9c9g-w66c OpenClaw: Bootstrap token replay could widen pending pairing scopes | Medium | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-c226-q6fx-6j6c OpenClaw: macOS Swift exec allowlist missed combined POSIX inline flags | Medium | Also affects openclaw |
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