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OpenClaw Loopback CDP probe can leak Gateway token to local listener

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Feb 23, 2026 in openclaw/openclaw • Updated Mar 18, 2026

Package

npm openclaw (npm)

Affected versions

<= 2026.2.21-2

Patched versions

2026.2.22

Description

Summary

A local process can capture the OpenClaw Gateway auth token from Chrome CDP probe traffic on loopback.

Details

Affected versions inject x-openclaw-relay-token for loopback CDP URLs, and CDP reachability probes send that header to /json/version.
If an attacker controls the probed loopback port, they can read that token and reuse it as Gateway bearer auth.

Relevant code paths (pre-fix):

  • src/browser/extension-relay.ts (getChromeExtensionRelayAuthHeaders)
  • src/browser/cdp.helpers.ts (getHeadersWithAuth)
  • src/browser/chrome.ts (fetchChromeVersion)

Affected Packages / Versions

  • Package: openclaw (npm)
  • Latest published (at triage): 2026.2.21-2
  • Vulnerable: <= 2026.2.21-2
  • Patched: >= 2026.2.22

Deployment Model Applicability

This does not change OpenClaw’s documented security model for standard single-owner installs (you own the machine/VPS and trust local processes under that OS account boundary).
Risk is for non-standard shared-user/shared-host installs where an untrusted local user/process can race/bind the loopback relay port.

Impact

  • Local credential disclosure.
  • Follow-on impact depends on local deployment and enabled Gateway capabilities.

Fix Commit(s)

  • afa22acc4a09fdf32be8a167ae216bee85c30dad

Release Process Note

Patched version is set to >= 2026.2.22 for the published release.

OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

References

@steipete steipete published to openclaw/openclaw Feb 23, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Mar 3, 2026
Reviewed Mar 3, 2026
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Mar 18, 2026
Last updated Mar 18, 2026

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(4th percentile)

Weaknesses

Authentication Bypass by Spoofing

This attack-focused weakness is caused by incorrectly implemented authentication schemes that are subject to spoofing attacks. Learn more on MITRE.

Missing Authentication for Critical Function

The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-22174

GHSA ID

GHSA-v3j7-34xh-6g3w

Source code

Credits

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