Description
OpenClaw before 2026.4.22 derives loopback MCP owner context from spoofable server-issued bearer tokens in request headers. Non-owner loopback clients can present themselves as owner to bypass owner-gated operations by manipulating the sender-owner header metadata.
Published: 2026-05-06
Score: 8.5 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

Impact

OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.4.22 derive loopback MCP owner context from bearer tokens that can be spoofed in request headers. A non‑owner loopback client can manipulate the sender‑owner header metadata to present itself as the owner, thereby bypassing operations that are restricted to the owner. This vulnerability falls under CWE‑290 (Authentication Spoofing) and enables unauthorized privileged actions that could lead to system compromise.

Affected Systems

The affected product is OpenClaw, versions before 2026.4.22. All installations of the OpenClaw application running these versions are potentially impacted.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score of 8.5 indicates high severity. The EPSS score is not available and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. The likely attack vector is remote, as the flaw is triggered by sending a forged bearer token in the HTTP header to the loopback interface; an attacker with network access or the ability to form such requests can exploit the issue.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on May 6, 2026 at 21:27 UTC.

Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Apply the OpenClaw update to version 2026.4.22 or later to correct the owner‑context authentication logic.
  • Modify the application configuration or code to validate that bearer tokens used for owner‑gated operations are issued by an authoritative token service and cannot be forged via HTTP headers.
  • If an immediate upgrade is not feasible, temporarily disable the owner‑gated functionality or enforce strict ownership checks at the application level to prevent impersonation until the patch is applied.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on May 6, 2026 at 21:27 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

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History

Wed, 06 May 2026 20:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description OpenClaw before 2026.4.22 derives loopback MCP owner context from spoofable server-issued bearer tokens in request headers. Non-owner loopback clients can present themselves as owner to bypass owner-gated operations by manipulating the sender-owner header metadata.
Title OpenClaw < 2026.4.22 - Owner Context Spoofing via Bearer Token Header
First Time appeared Openclaw
Openclaw openclaw
Weaknesses CWE-290
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
Vendors & Products Openclaw
Openclaw openclaw
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Subscriptions

Openclaw Openclaw
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-06T19:49:37.173Z

Reserved: 2026-05-05T11:30:46.260Z

Link: CVE-2026-44118

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-05-06T20:16:35.900

Modified: 2026-05-06T21:20:52.707

Link: CVE-2026-44118

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-05-07T00:15:05Z

Weaknesses