OpenClaw Privilege Escalation (CVE-2026-41378) Allows RCE via Paired Nodes
The National Vulnerability Database has disclosed CVE-2026-41378, a critical privilege escalation vulnerability in OpenClaw before version 2026.3.31. This flaw allows attackers with trusted paired node credentials to dispatch unrestricted node.event agent requests, leading to remote code execution (RCE) on the gateway.
The core issue, categorized as CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), lies in the agent’s ability to access gateway-side tools without proper restrictions. This means if an attacker compromises a paired node with a role=node designation, they can leverage this access to effectively take over the gateway. The National Vulnerability Database assigns this a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH), underscoring the severity of the potential impact.
For defenders, this is a clear signal to audit the security of OpenClaw deployments. The attacker’s calculus here is straightforward: compromise a less-protected node, then pivot with elevated privileges to the gateway. This bypasses typical perimeter defenses and allows deep network penetration, making robust internal segmentation and strict credential management absolutely critical.
What This Means For You
- If your organization uses OpenClaw, you must immediately verify your version and patch to 2026.3.31 or later to mitigate CVE-2026-41378. Beyond patching, review all paired node configurations, specifically those with `role=node`, and implement strict access controls and monitoring to detect any unusual agent requests or gateway-side tool usage.
Related ATT&CK Techniques
🛡️ Detection Rules
3 rules · 6 SIEM formats3 detection rules auto-generated for this incident, mapped to MITRE ATT&CK. Sigma YAML is free — export to any SIEM format via the Intel Bot.
CVE-2026-41378 - OpenClaw Unrestricted Agent Request Dispatch
title: CVE-2026-41378 - OpenClaw Unrestricted Agent Request Dispatch
id: scw-2026-04-28-ai-1
status: experimental
level: critical
description: |
Detects the core privilege escalation mechanism of CVE-2026-41378 where a paired node with role=node dispatches an agent.request with unrestricted gateway-side tool access, potentially leading to RCE. This rule specifically looks for the 'openclaw_gateway' process initiating an 'agent.request' dispatch command.
author: SCW Feed Engine (AI-generated)
date: 2026-04-28
references:
- https://shimiscyberworld.com/posts/nvd-CVE-2026-41378/
tags:
- attack.privilege_escalation
- attack.t1078.002
logsource:
category: process_creation
detection:
selection:
ParentImage|contains:
- 'openclaw_gateway'
Image|contains:
- 'agent.request'
CommandLine|contains:
- 'dispatch'
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Legitimate administrative activity
Source: Shimi's Cyber World · License & reuse
Indicators of Compromise
| ID | Type | Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-41378 | Privilege Escalation | OpenClaw before 2026.3.31 |
| CVE-2026-41378 | Privilege Escalation | Paired nodes with role=node can dispatch node.event agent requests with unrestricted gateway-side tool access |
| CVE-2026-41378 | RCE | Unrestricted agent.request dispatch leading to remote code execution on the gateway |
Written by SCW Vulnerability Desk
Source & Attribution
| Source Platform | NVD |
| Channel | National Vulnerability Database |
| Published | April 28, 2026 at 22:37 UTC |
This content was AI-rewritten and enriched by Shimi's Cyber World based on the original source. All intellectual property rights remain with the original author.
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