OpenClaw CVE-2026-42422: Role Bypass Allows Unapproved Token Minting
The National Vulnerability Database has detailed CVE-2026-42422, a high-severity role bypass vulnerability in OpenClaw before version 2026.4.8. This flaw resides within the device.token.rotate function, allowing attackers to mint tokens for roles that have not undergone the intended approval process.
This vulnerability fundamentally undermines access control mechanisms. Attackers can bypass device role-upgrade pairing, effectively preserving or creating roles and scopes without legitimate authorization. The National Vulnerability Database assigns this a CVSSv3.1 score of 8.8 (High), highlighting the significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Given the nature of token minting and role bypass, this vulnerability presents a critical risk for unauthorized privilege escalation and persistent access. Defenders must prioritize patching to prevent attackers from establishing or maintaining illicit elevated permissions within affected systems.
What This Means For You
- If your organization uses OpenClaw, immediately check your version and patch to 2026.4.8 or later. This role bypass is a critical access control flaw that attackers will absolutely leverage for privilege escalation and persistence. Audit your token generation and role assignments for any anomalies.
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-2026-42422: OpenClaw Unapproved Role Minting via device.token.rotate
title: CVE-2026-42422: OpenClaw Unapproved Role Minting via device.token.rotate
id: scw-2026-04-28-ai-1
status: experimental
level: critical
description: |
Detects the specific API call to device.token.rotate in OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.4.8 that is vulnerable to role bypass. This allows attackers to mint tokens for unapproved roles or scopes, bypassing intended approval processes and potentially gaining elevated privileges. The detection looks for the specific endpoint and suspicious parameters indicating an attempt to assign unapproved roles or scopes.
author: SCW Feed Engine (AI-generated)
date: 2026-04-28
references:
- https://shimiscyberworld.com/posts/nvd-CVE-2026-42422/
tags:
- attack.privilege_escalation
- attack.t1078.004
logsource:
category: webserver
detection:
selection:
cs-uri|contains:
- '/api/v1/device/token/rotate'
cs-method|exact: 'POST'
cs-uri-query|contains:
- 'role=unapproved_role_name'
- 'scope=unapproved_scope_name'
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Legitimate administrative activity
Source: Shimi's Cyber World · License & reuse
Indicators of Compromise
| ID | Type | Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-42422 | Auth Bypass | OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 |
| CVE-2026-42422 | Auth Bypass | device.token.rotate function |
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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