PT-2026-25465 · Npm · Openclaw

Published 2026-03-03 · Updated 2026-03-03

OSV

CVSS v4.0

6.9

Medium

Base vector

AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Summary

When tokenless Tailscale auth is enabled, OpenClaw should only allow forwarded-header auth for Control UI websocket authentication on trusted hosts. In affected versions, that tokenless path could also be used by HTTP gateway auth call sites, which could bypass token/password requirements for HTTP routes in trusted-network deployments.

Affected Packages / Versions

• Package: openclaw (npm)
• Affected range: <= 2026.2.19-2 (latest published npm version as of February 21, 2026)
• Patched in: planned 2026.2.21 release

Impact

Deployments relying on token/password for HTTP gateway routes could be downgraded to tokenless behavior when Tailscale header auth is enabled. This weakens expected HTTP route authentication boundaries even in trusted-host network setups.

Per SECURITY.md, this does not affect the recommended setup: keep the Gateway loopback-only (or otherwise within a trusted host/network boundary), use Tailscale serve/funnel for remote access, and keep tokenless Tailscale auth scoped to Control UI websocket login.

Fix

• Added an explicit auth-surface gate (allowTailscaleHeaderAuth, default false) in gateway auth.
• Enabled tokenless Tailscale header auth only for Control UI websocket authentication.
• Kept HTTP gateway auth call sites on token/password auth paths.
• Added regression coverage for HTTP-vs-websocket behavior and Tailscale header handling.

Fix Commit(s)

• 356d61aacfa5b0f1d5830716ec59d70682a3e7b8

Release Process Note

patched versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.21) so once npm release is published, this advisory can be published directly without further field edits.

OpenClaw thanks @zpbrent for reporting.

Fix

Authentication Bypass by Spoofing

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-290

Related Identifiers

GHSA-HFF7-CCV5-52F8

Affected Products

Openclaw

References · 6

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32045 · Security Note
• https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-hff7-ccv5-52f8 · Vendor Advisory
• https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw · Note
• https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-hff7-ccv5-52f8 · Note
• https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/356d61aacfa5b0f1d5830716ec59d70682a3e7b8 · Note
• https://vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-authentication-bypass-in-http-gateway-routes-via-tokenless-tailscale-auth · Note