CVE-2026-45003
OpenClaw Workspace Dotenv Endpoint Host Override Vulnerability
Publication date: 2026-05-11
Last updated on: 2026-05-11
Assigner: VulnCheck
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| openclaw | openclaw | to 2026.4.22 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-441 | The product receives a request, message, or directive from an upstream component, but the product does not sufficiently preserve the original source of the request before forwarding the request to an external actor that is outside of the product's control sphere. This causes the product to appear to be the source of the request, leading it to act as a proxy or other intermediary between the upstream component and the external actor. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2026-45003 is a vulnerability in OpenClaw versions before 2026.4.22 where workspace dotenv files can override connector endpoint hosts for services like Matrix, Mattermost, IRC, and Synology connectors.
Attackers who have access to the workspace can modify these dotenv files to redirect runtime traffic to malicious endpoints by setting specific endpoint variables.
This means that instead of connecting to legitimate service endpoints, the application could be tricked into communicating with attacker-controlled servers.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability allows an attacker with workspace access to redirect traffic intended for trusted connectors to malicious endpoints.
Such redirection can lead to interception or manipulation of data, potentially compromising confidentiality and integrity of communications.
It could also enable attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks or inject malicious payloads through these connectors.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability involves workspace dotenv files overriding connector endpoint hosts for Matrix, Mattermost, IRC, and Synology connectors. To detect it, you should inspect the workspace .env files for the presence of specific environment variables that could redirect traffic.
- Check workspace .env files for the following variables: MATRIX_HOMESERVER, MATTERMOST_URL, IRC_HOST, SYNOLOGY_CHAT_INCOMING_URL, SYNOLOGY_NAS_HOST.
- Use commands like grep to search for these variables in your workspace directories, for example: grep -rE 'MATRIX_HOMESERVER|MATTERMOST_URL|IRC_HOST|SYNOLOGY_CHAT_INCOMING_URL|SYNOLOGY_NAS_HOST' /path/to/workspace
- Monitor runtime traffic for unexpected redirections or connections to unknown endpoints that differ from operator-configured hosts.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
The primary mitigation step is to upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.4.22 or later, where the vulnerability has been fixed by blocking workspace dotenv overrides for critical connector endpoint variables.
- Update OpenClaw to version 2026.4.22 or newer.
- Review and remove any unauthorized or suspicious environment variable overrides in workspace .env files, especially those related to connector endpoints.
- Ensure that workspace .env files do not contain variables like MATRIX_HOMESERVER, MATTERMOST_URL, IRC_HOST, SYNOLOGY_CHAT_INCOMING_URL, or SYNOLOGY_NAS_HOST.
- Implement monitoring to detect unexpected endpoint redirections or traffic to malicious hosts.