GHSA-mqpw-46fh-299h
HIGHOpenClaw authorization bypass: operator.write can resolve exec approvals via chat.send -> /approve
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
Weekly download volume for affected packages — a proxy for how broadly this vulnerability is deployed.
openclawnpmDescription
Summary
What this means (plain language)
If you give a client “chat/write” access to the gateway (operator.write) but you do not intend to let that client approve exec requests (operator.approvals), affected versions could still let that client approve/deny a pending exec approval by sending the /approve chat command.
This is mainly relevant for shared or multi-client setups where different tokens are intentionally scoped differently. Single-operator installs are typically less impacted.
Technical summary
A gateway client authenticated with a device token scoped only to operator.write (without operator.approvals) could approve/deny pending exec approval requests by sending a chat message containing the built-in /approve command.
exec.approval.resolve is correctly scoped to operator.approvals for direct RPC calls, but the /approve command path invoked it via an internal privileged gateway client.
Affected Packages / Versions
openclaw(npm):< 2026.2.2
Fix
- Fixed in
openclaw2026.2.2. - Fix commit(s):
efe2a464afcff55bb5a95b959e6bd9ec0fef086e. - Change: when
/approveis invoked from gateway clients (webchat/internal channel), it now requires the requesting client to haveoperator.approvals(oroperator.admin).
Workarounds
- Upgrade to
openclaw >= 2026.2.2. - If you cannot upgrade: avoid issuing write-only device tokens to untrusted clients; disable text commands (
commands.text=false) or restrict access to the webchat/control UI.
References
- Fix:
src/auto-reply/reply/commands-approve.ts - Coverage:
src/auto-reply/reply/commands-approve.test.ts
Release Process Note
This advisory is kept in draft; once the fixed npm versions are available, it can be published without further edits.
Thanks @yueyueL for reporting.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | openclaw | all versions | 2026.2.2 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for openclaw. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update openclaw to 2026.2.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-mqpw-46fh-299h 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.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-mqpw-46fh-299h is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-mqpw-46fh-299h. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-mqpw-46fh-299h in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-mqpw-46fh-299h across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.