OpenClaw log poisoning (indirect prompt injection) via WebSocket headersGHSA-g27f-9qjv-22pm
LOWFix: openclaw/openclaw#15592GHSA-g27f-9qjv-22pm is a low-severity (CVSS 3.1) vulnerability in openclaw. A fix is available for openclaw — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
openclawnpmDescription
Summary
In openclaw versions prior to 2026.2.13, OpenClaw logged certain WebSocket request headers (including Origin and User-Agent) without neutralization or length limits on the "closed before connect" path.
If an unauthenticated client can reach the gateway and send crafted header values, those values may be written into core logs. Under workflows where logs are later read or interpreted by an LLM (for example via AI-assisted debugging), this can increase the risk of indirect prompt injection (log poisoning).
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected:
<= 2026.2.12 - Fixed:
>= 2026.2.13
Details
- Component:
src/gateway/server/ws-connection.ts - Trigger: WebSocket connection closes before completing the connect/handshake; header values are included in the log message and structured context.
Impact
This issue is primarily an indirect prompt injection risk and depends on downstream log consumption behavior. If you do not feed logs into an LLM or other automation, impact is limited.
Fix
Header values written to gateway logs are now sanitized and truncated (including removal of control/format characters and length limiting).
- Fix commits:
d637a263505448bf4505b85535babbfaacedbaac,e84318e4bcdc948d92e57fda1eb763a65e1774f0(PR #15592)
Workarounds
- Upgrade to
[email protected]or later. - Treat logs as untrusted input when using AI-assisted debugging (sanitize/escape, and do not auto-execute instructions derived from logs).
- Restrict gateway network exposure; apply reverse-proxy limits on header size where applicable.
Thanks @pkerkhofs for reporting.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | openclaw | all versions | 2026.2.13npm install openclaw@2026.2.13 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for openclaw, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update openclaw to 2026.2.13 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-g27f-9qjv-22pm is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-g27f-9qjv-22pm in your dependencies?
Find it across npm, including transitive dependencies.