GitHub Advisoryadvisory · npm
GHSA-4jpw-hj22-2xmc OpenClaw: Pairing-scoped device tokens could mint `operator.admin` and reach node RCE
CRITICAL
Official page ↗
- Ecosystem
- npm
- Packages
- openclaw
- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Weaknesses
- CWE-269
- Reviewed
- 2026-03-13
Affected packages
• npm openclaw: < 2026.3.11 → fixed in 2026.3.11
Description
Summary
In affected versions of `openclaw`, a caller holding only `operator.pairing` could use `device.token.rotate` to mint a new token with broader scopes for an already paired device. If the target device was approved for `operator.admin`, the attacker could obtain an administrative token without already holding administrative scope.
Impact
This is a critical authorization flaw. On deployments with connected node hosts or companion apps that expose `system.run`, the escalated token could then modify node execution approvals and reach real remote code execution on the node. Even without nodes, the flaw still granted unauthorized gateway-admin access.
Affected Packages and Versions
• Package: `openclaw` (npm)
• Affected versions: `<= 2026.3.8`
• Fixed in: `2026.3.11`
Technical Details
`device.token.rotate` accepted caller-supplied target scopes and validated them against the target device's approved scopes, but it did not constrain the newly minted scopes to the caller's own current scope set. That allowed a pairing-scoped caller to mint a broader token for an already paired administrative device.
Fix
OpenClaw now enforces caller-scope subsetting in `device.token.rotate`, preventing callers from minting device tokens broader than the scopes they already hold. The fix shipped in `[email protected]`.
Workarounds
Upgrade to `2026.3.11` or later.
Related
Weakness · CWE (1)
- CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management weakness