CVE-2026-35649: OpenClaw < 2026.3.22 - Settings Reconciliation Bypass via Empty Allowlist

Severity: medium (CVSS 6.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-04-10 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-183

Description

OpenClaw before 2026.3.22 contains a settings reconciliation vulnerability that allows attackers to bypass intended deny-all revocations by exploiting empty allowlist handling. The vulnerability treats explicit empty allowlists as unset during reconciliation, silently undoing intended access control denials and restoring previously revoked permissions.

Affected products

OpenClaw: before 2026.3.22 — fixed in 2026.3.22

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: OpenClaw 2026.3.22. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/3cbf932413e41d1836cb91aed1541a28a3122f93
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/630f1479c44f78484dfa21bb407cbe6f171dac87
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-pw7h-9g6p-c378
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-settings-reconciliation-bypass-via-empty-allowlist

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