Is this vulnerability remotely exploitable?

It can be, depending on how OpenClaw is exposed. If attackers can interact with OpenClaw over the network and trigger outbound media or attachment operations, they may exploit this issue without local shell access.

What level of access does an attacker need?

The attacker must be able to act as a sender or principal within OpenClaw that can initiate outbound host-media attachment flows, even if that sender is otherwise denied read access by toolsBySender or group policies.

What is the safest general fix pattern?

The most robust fix is to centralize authorization around sender and group context and ensure that every file-accessing helper, especially outbound media loaders, enforces those same policies before reading any local file.

Severity:

HIGH RISK

(7.7)

Authorization Bypass (CWE-863) in OpenClaw Outbound Host-Media Attachment Helper

CVE-2026-42438

Published:

May 5, 2026

Status:

Undergoing Analysis

Summary

Affected Context

Exploit Preconditions

Why This Happens

Potential Impact

General Mitigation Guidance

How Teams Detect Issues Like This

Frequently Asked Questions

Source

NDV

Recent Vulnerabilities

CWE-918

HIGH RISK

HIGH

(8.6)

Server-Side Request Forgery (CWE-918) in OpenClaw Zalo Plugin sendPhoto

Unauthorized Access to Internal Resources via SSRF

May 6, 2026

CWE-863

HIGH RISK

HIGH

(8.8)

Authorization Bypass (CWE-863) in OpenClaw Matrix Room Control Commands

Privilege Escalation via Bypassed Access Control

May 6, 2026

Vulnerability Type

Category:

Authorization Bypass

CWE:

CWE-863

Impact:

Unauthorized Local File Disclosure

Severity:

HIGH RISK

(7.7)

CVSS Version:

3.1

Vulnerability Type

Category:

Authorization Bypass

CWE:

CWE-863

Impact:

Unauthorized Local File Disclosure

Severity:

HIGH RISK

(7.7)

CVSS Version:

3.1

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Authorization Bypass (CWE-863) in OpenClaw Outbound Host-Media Attachment Helper

Summary

Affected Context

Exploit Preconditions

Why This Happens

Potential Impact

General Mitigation Guidance

How Teams Detect Issues Like This

Frequently Asked Questions

Source

Recent Vulnerabilities

HIGH RISK

HIGH

(8.6)

Server-Side Request Forgery (CWE-918) in OpenClaw Zalo Plugin sendPhoto

HIGH RISK

HIGH

(8.8)

Authorization Bypass (CWE-863) in OpenClaw Matrix Room Control Commands

Vulnerability Type

Vulnerability Type

Vulnerability Type

Catch This CVE While Code Is Being Written

Ship clean & secure code faster

Ship clean & secure code faster

Ship clean & secure code faster

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