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How CVE-2026-53815 Works
OpenClaw before version 2026.5.19 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability in message read actions that fails to enforce channel allowlist checks. The vulnerability stems from missing authorization (CWE-862) in the message retrieval logic. When a lower-trust caller with access to the affected message read action submits a request, the system processes it without performing the same channel allowlist verification that is applied during normal message delivery. This allows the caller to request and retrieve messages from channels they are not authorized to access.
The flaw is scoped to a specific named feature and configuration, and it does not alter OpenClaw’s broader trusted-operator model. Authenticated Gateway operators, installed plugins, and intentional local execution surfaces remain trusted unless a separate policy, approval, allowlist, sandbox, or authentication boundary is crossed. However, when the affected feature is enabled and reachable, an attacker with low privileges can exploit the insufficient validation to bypass channel allowlist restrictions entirely.
The vulnerability is exploitable over the network with low attack complexity and requires no user interaction. An attacker needs only low-level privileges to send crafted requests that bypass the channel allowlist checks. Successful exploitation results in high confidentiality impact, as sensitive messages from unauthorized channels can be exposed. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v4.0 base score of 7.1, severity HIGH.
The first stable patched version is 2026.5.19. As a general mitigation, operators should limit message read actions to trusted operators, keep channel allowlists narrow, avoid sharing one Gateway between mutually untrusted users, and disable the affected feature when it is not needed.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: ……. OpenClaw
Version: …….. < 2026.5.19
Vulnerability :…… Authorization Bypass (CWE-862)
Severity: ……. HIGH (CVSS 7.1)
date: ………. 2026-06-11
Prediction: …… 2026-05-19
What Undercode Say:
Check OpenClaw version
openclaw --version
Verify if running a vulnerable version (< 2026.5.19)
if [[ "$(openclaw --version)" < "2026.5.19" ]]; then
echo "VULNERABLE: CVE-2026-53815 affects this version"
else
echo "PATCHED: Version 2026.5.19 or later"
fi
Audit channel allowlist configuration
cat ~/.openclaw/config.json | jq '.channels.allowlist'
Check for exposed message read endpoints
curl -X GET "http://localhost:3000/api/messages?channel=restricted-channel" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $LOW_TRUST_TOKEN" \
-w "\nHTTP Status: %{http_code}\n"
Analytics: EPSS probability is 0.22% (12th percentile). The vulnerability was disclosed on June 12, 2026, with the patch released on May 19, 2026. The exploit is not known to be actively used in the wild.
Exploit:
An attacker with low-privileged access to the message read action can craft requests that bypass channel allowlist checks. The attack requires no special conditions and no user interaction. By sending a request to the vulnerable endpoint with a channel identifier that is not on the caller’s allowlist, the system returns messages from that channel without validating the caller’s authorization.
Example exploit request
curl -X POST "http://target.openclaw:3000/api/messages/read" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $ATTACKER_TOKEN" \
-d '{"channel_id": "sensitive-channel-id", "limit": 100}'
The response may contain messages from channels the attacker should not have access to, leading to unauthorized data exposure.
Protection:
1. Upgrade to OpenClaw version 2026.5.19 or later.
- Limit message read actions to trusted operators only.
3. Keep channel allowlists narrow and restrictive.
- Avoid sharing one Gateway between mutually untrusted users.
- Disable the affected feature when it is not needed.
- Apply general hardening: keep channel and tool allowlists narrow.
Impact:
Successful exploitation allows a lower-trust caller to request and retrieve messages from channels that were not intended for that caller. Practical impact depends on the operator’s configuration and whether lower-trust input can reach the vulnerable path. The vulnerability has high confidentiality impact but no impact on integrity or availability. Organizations running OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.5.19 should treat this as a high-priority advisory and upgrade immediately.
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Sources:
Reported By: github.com
Extra Source Hub:
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