OpenClaw versions before 2026.5.18 allow an insufficient provenance validation check in node event handling. A malicious or compromised paired node can forge exec lifecycle events and send crafted node.event messages to the gateway, redirecting target sessions into exec-event paths that provide capabilities beyond what the reduced node surface is intended to expose. This flaw permits the attacker to execute privileged operations without the required system.run authorization, effectively granting unauthorized code execution on the target.

Any deployment running OpenClaw before version 2026.5.18 is affected. The vulnerability exists in the OpenClaw product from the OpenClaw vendor, impacting systems that have paired nodes communicating with an OpenClaw gateway.

The CVSS score of 8.6 classifies the flaw as high severity. EPSS data is not available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, indicating no confirmed exploitation in the wild yet. The likely attack surface is a node within the same OpenClaw network that can send node.event messages to the gateway. An attacker controlling or compromising such a node can forge exec events, bypassing authorization checks and potentially executing arbitrary commands on the gateway or other affected nodes. Because the vulnerability requires a trusted context within the cluster, the immediate risk to external actors is limited unless they gain foothold inside the OpenClaw environment.