Authentication Bypass in OpenClaw via Malicious Plugins

Detection Guidance

There is no specific information provided in the available resources about detection methods or commands to identify this vulnerability on a network or system.

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Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate the CVE-2026-43569 vulnerability, users should upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.4.9 or newer, as this version contains the fix that prevents untrusted workspace plugins from being automatically enabled during non-interactive onboarding.

The fix ensures that only trusted provider origins are preferred for authentication choices and excludes untrusted workspace plugins unless explicitly enabled by the user.

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Executive Summary

CVE-2026-43569 is an authentication bypass vulnerability in OpenClaw versions before 2026.4.9. It allows untrusted workspace plugins to be automatically enabled during non-interactive onboarding when provider authentication choices are shadowed by these untrusted plugins.

Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious workspace plugins that get automatically selected and enabled during the authentication setup process without explicit user consent. This happens because the system does not properly distinguish between trusted and untrusted provider origins when selecting authentication choices.

The root cause is the inclusion of functionality from an untrusted control sphere (CWE-829), where untrusted plugins can override or collide with legitimate authentication choices.

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can lead to unauthorized activation of untrusted workspace plugins during authentication setup, potentially allowing attackers to bypass authentication controls.

As a result, attackers may gain unauthorized access to sensitive credentials or configuration data by hijacking the authentication process.

This compromises the security of the system by enabling malicious plugins without explicit user consent, increasing the risk of data breaches or unauthorized actions within the affected environment.

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Compliance Impact

The vulnerability allows untrusted workspace plugins to be automatically enabled during authentication setup without explicit user consent, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive credentials or configurations.

Such unauthorized access and lack of explicit user consent could negatively impact compliance with standards and regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, which require strict controls over authentication, user consent, and protection of sensitive data.

However, the provided information does not explicitly discuss the direct impact on compliance with these regulations.

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