CVE-2026-53838: OpenClaw < 2026.5.27 - Node Pairing State Mutation via Reconnection

Severity: critical (CVSS 9.8 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: 2026-06-12 · updated 2026-07-23
Weakness: CWE-367

Description

OpenClaw before 2026.5.27 contains a state mutation vulnerability in node pairing reconnection that allows paired nodes to confuse approval scope decisions. Attackers can exploit reconnection logic to restore or present broader node authority than intended, potentially bypassing approval restrictions.

Affected products

OpenClaw: before 2026.5.27 — fixed in 2026.5.27

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: OpenClaw 2026.5.27. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-83w9-h5wv-j9xm
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-node-pairing-state-mutation-via-reconnection

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