CVE-2026-53821
Received Received - Intake
WebSocket Authorization Bypass in OpenClaw

Publication date: 2026-06-12

Last updated on: 2026-06-12

Assigner: VulnCheck

Description
OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 accepts WebSocket client-declared operator scopes before binding to server-approved pairing or trusted-proxy authorization baseline. Unpaired or restricted trusted-proxy Control UI clients can obtain cached operator.admin authority on live WebSocket connections to execute admin-gated Gateway RPCs.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-06-12
Last Modified
2026-06-12
Generated
2026-06-13
AI Q&A
2026-06-13
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-53821
EUVD
EUVD-2026-36609
Affected Vendors & Products
Currently, no data is known.
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-862 The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.
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Executive Summary

This vulnerability affects OpenClaw versions before 2026.5.18. The issue is that the software accepts WebSocket client-declared operator scopes before verifying them against the server-approved pairing or trusted-proxy authorization baseline.

As a result, unpaired or restricted trusted-proxy Control UI clients can gain cached operator.admin authority on live WebSocket connections.

This unauthorized admin authority allows these clients to execute admin-gated Gateway RPCs, which should normally be restricted.

Impact Analysis

The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized privilege escalation where unpaired or restricted clients gain admin-level access.

This elevated access allows execution of admin-gated Gateway RPCs, potentially compromising the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of the affected system.

Such unauthorized control could lead to system manipulation, data breaches, or disruption of services.

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