{"id":"CVE-2026-53821","aliases":["GHSA-qjpc-qf9m-xwmr"],"url":"https://o3.security/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53821","summary":"OpenClaw < 2026.5.18 - Scope Elevation in trusted-proxy Control UI WebSocket","details":"### Summary\n\nIn trusted-proxy Control UI mode, OpenClaw accepted a WebSocket client's declared operator scopes before those scopes were bound to a server-approved pairing or trusted-proxy authorization baseline.\n\nThis issue affects trusted-proxy Control UI deployments. It does not apply to shared-secret Control UI sessions, which are treated as trusted operator sessions by design.\n\n### Affected configurations\n\nThis affects deployments using `gateway.auth.mode: \"trusted-proxy\"` for Control UI access where a restricted trusted-proxy user could open a Control UI WebSocket and present a fresh, unpaired device identity with elevated requested scopes.\n\n### Impact\n\nAn unpaired or restricted trusted-proxy Control UI client could obtain cached `operator.admin` authority on its live WebSocket connection. That authority could then be used for admin-gated Gateway RPCs until the connection was closed or revalidated.\n\n### Patched Versions\n\nThe first stable patched version is `2026.5.18`.\n\n### Mitigations\n\nUpgrade to `openclaw@2026.5.18` or later. Before upgrading, restrict trusted-proxy Control UI access to users who should have the scopes they can request, and restart the gateway after changing trusted-proxy authorization policy.","published":"2026-06-12T21:56:49.563Z","modified":"2026-08-17T03:55:02.602763195Z","cvss":null,"epss":{"score":0.00289,"percentile":0.21498,"asOf":"2026-09-16"},"cisaKev":null,"exploitsKnown":0,"affectedPackages":[{"ecosystem":"npm","name":"openclaw","fixedVersion":"2026.5.18"}],"fix":null,"references":[{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/53xxx/CVE-2026-53821.json"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-qjpc-qf9m-xwmr"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53821"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-scope-elevation-in-trusted-proxy-control-ui-websocket"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"}],"provenance":{"sources":["OSV.dev","FIRST.org (EPSS)"],"lastVerified":"2026-08-17T03:55:02.602763195Z"}}