OpenClaw CVE-2026-45001: Gateway Bypass Exposes Operator Settings
The National Vulnerability Database has detailed CVE-2026-45001, a high-severity guard bypass vulnerability affecting OpenClaw before version 2026.4.20. This flaw resides in the agent-facing gateway’s config.patch and config.apply endpoints, failing to adequately protect critical operator-trusted settings.
An attacker exploiting this vulnerability, particularly through a prompt-injected model with access to the owner-only gateway tool, could persist unauthorized changes. The exposed settings are extensive, including sandbox policy, plugin enablement, gateway authentication/TLS, hook routing, MCP server configuration, SSRF policy, and filesystem hardening. This level of access grants an attacker significant control over the system’s security posture.
The CVSSv3.1 score of 7.1 (High) with a vector of AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N underscores the severity. While confidentiality impact is low, the high integrity impact means an attacker can significantly alter configurations, potentially leading to further compromise or persistence. The lack of specific affected product details from the National Vulnerability Database means defenders should assume broad applicability within OpenClaw environments.
What This Means For You
- If your organization uses OpenClaw, immediately audit your versions. Prioritize patching to OpenClaw 2026.4.20 or later to mitigate CVE-2026-45001. Review gateway configurations and operator-trusted settings for any unauthorized changes, especially those related to authentication, sandbox policies, and SSRF controls. This vulnerability grants an attacker the ability to fundamentally alter your security architecture.
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-2026-45001: OpenClaw Gateway Bypass for Operator Settings
title: CVE-2026-45001: OpenClaw Gateway Bypass for Operator Settings
id: scw-2026-05-11-ai-1
status: experimental
level: critical
description: |
Detects attempts to access the OpenClaw agent-facing gateway config.patch and config.apply endpoints. Successful exploitation of CVE-2026-45001 allows an attacker with owner-only gateway tool access to bypass guards and modify operator-trusted settings, leading to persistence or further compromise.
author: SCW Feed Engine (AI-generated)
date: 2026-05-11
references:
- https://shimiscyberworld.com/posts/nvd-CVE-2026-45001/
tags:
- attack.persistence
- attack.t1505.003
logsource:
category: webserver
detection:
selection:
cs-uri|contains:
- '/config.patch'
- '/config.apply'
cs-method|exact:
- 'POST'
condition: selection
falsepositives:
- Legitimate administrative activity
Source: Shimi's Cyber World · License & reuse
Indicators of Compromise
| ID | Type | Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-45001 | Auth Bypass | OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 |
| CVE-2026-45001 | Auth Bypass | agent-facing gateway config.patch endpoint |
| CVE-2026-45001 | Auth Bypass | agent-facing gateway config.apply endpoint |
| CVE-2026-45001 | Misconfiguration | operator-trusted settings including sandbox policy, plugin enablement, gateway auth/TLS, hook routing, MCP server configuration, SSRF policy, and filesystem hardening |
Written by SCW Vulnerability Desk
Source & Attribution
| Source Platform | NVD |
| Channel | National Vulnerability Database |
| Published | May 11, 2026 at 21:16 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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