CVE-2026-100578: Privilege Escalation (CVSS 7.6)

Description

OpenClaw (npm package `openclaw`) before 2026.7.1 fails to restrict owner-only infrastructure tools exposed through the chat.send endpoint. In Gateway deployments using authentication modes that honor caller identity and narrower operator scopes, a write-scoped non-owner caller can start a chat turn whose tool inventory includes the `gateway` and `cron` tools, causing the agent to invoke owner-only configuration or scheduling operations, including persistent state changes. Practical impact depends on the tools selected by the model and the caller's ability to steer the turn. Shared-secret token and password callers are treated as fully trusted operators under OpenClaw's security model and are outside the scope of this issue. The issue is fixed in 2026.7.1; as a workaround, restrict chat.send to administrators in identity-bearing deployments and remove `gateway` and `cron` from affected agent tool policies.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.6

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0023

Probability of exploitation

0.12%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-269 CWE-269

References

Other References

https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-qw7m-h363-33qw https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-before-2026.7.1-authorization-bypass-via-chat-send

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-100578? +

OpenClaw (npm package `openclaw`) before 2026.7.1 fails to restrict owner-only infrastructure tools exposed through the chat.send endpoint. In Gateway deployments using authentication modes that honor caller identity and narrower operator scopes, a write-scoped non-owner caller can start a chat turn whose tool inventory includes the `gateway` and `cron` tools, causing the agent to invoke owner-only configuration or scheduling operations, including persistent state changes. Practical impact depends on the tools selected by the model and the caller's ability to steer the turn. Shared-secret token and password callers are treated as fully trusted operators under OpenClaw's security model and are outside the scope of this issue. The issue is fixed in 2026.7.1; as a workaround, restrict chat.send to administrators in identity-bearing deployments and remove `gateway` and `cron` from affected agent tool policies. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.6 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-100578? +

CVE-2026-100578 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.6 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0023, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-100578? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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