CVE-2026-41916: OpenClaw < 2026.4.8 - Stale Authentication State via Config Reload

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.4 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-04-28 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-613

Description

OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 contains an authentication state management vulnerability where the resolvedAuth closure becomes stale after configuration reload. Newly accepted gateway connections continue using outdated resolved auth state, allowing attackers to bypass authentication controls through config reload operations.

Affected products

OpenClaw: before 2026.4.8 — fixed in 2026.4.8

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: OpenClaw 2026.4.8. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-68x5-xx89-w9mm
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-stale-authentication-state-via-config-reload

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