CVE-2026-43578

Description

OpenClaw versions 2026.3.31 before 2026.4.10 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability where heartbeat owner downgrade detection misses local background async exec completion events. Attackers can exploit this by providing untrusted completion content to leave a run in a more privileged context than intended.

CVSS v3.1 Score

9.1

CRITICAL

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

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0007

Probability of exploitation

0.22%

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-184 CWE-184

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
openclaw	openclaw	2026.3.31 — 2026.4.10

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/19a2e9ddb5a8a494abcba812bb11f51075026a27 https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-g375-h3v6-4873

Other References

https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-missed-async-exec-completion-events-in-heartbeat-owner-downgrade

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-43578? +

OpenClaw versions 2026.3.31 before 2026.4.10 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability where heartbeat owner downgrade detection misses local background async exec completion events. Attackers can exploit this by providing untrusted completion content to leave a run in a more privileged context than intended. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2026-43578? +

CVE-2026-43578 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 9.1 out of 10, rated CRITICAL. This is a critical vulnerability that should be patched immediately. The EPSS score is 0.0007, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-43578? +

CVE-2026-43578 affects products from openclaw, specifically: openclaw. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-43578? +

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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