Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-28479

Crypto Weakness in Openclaw ≤ 2026.2.15

Public PoCCrypto Weakness
Published
05 March 2026
Modified
17 March 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v4 8.7
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/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
EPSS Score 0.0018 8th percentile
Risk Priority 42 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-28479 is a high-severity Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm (CWE-327) vulnerability in Openclaw Openclaw. Its CVSS base score is 8.7 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Adversary-in-the-Middle (T1557); ranked at the 8th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-13 (Cryptographic Protection) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2026-28479, published on 2026-03-05, affects OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.15 and is classified under CWE-327 (Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm). The vulnerability arises from the use of the deprecated SHA-1 hashing algorithm to generate cache keys for sandbox identifiers in Docker and browser sandbox configurations. SHA-1's susceptibility to collision attacks enables cache poisoning, where an attacker can cause one sandbox configuration to be misinterpreted as another, leading to unsafe reuse of sandbox state.

A remote network attacker requires no privileges, low complexity, and no user interaction (CVSSv3.1 score of 7.5: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) to exploit this issue. By crafting inputs with colliding SHA-1 hashes, the attacker can poison the sandbox identifier cache, tricking the system into associating an attacker-controlled configuration with a legitimate one. This results in high confidentiality impact through potential unauthorized access to sensitive data in reused sandbox states.

Mitigation is provided in OpenClaw version 2026.2.15 and later. The patching commit is available at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/559c8d9930eebb5356506ff1a8cd3dbaec92be77, with further details in the GitHub security advisory at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-fh3f-q9qw-93j9 and the VulnCheck advisory at https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-cache-poisoning-via-deprecated-sha-hash-in-sandbox-configuration.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.15 use SHA-1 to hash sandbox identifier cache keys for Docker and browser sandbox configurations, which is deprecated and vulnerable to collision attacks. An attacker can exploit SHA-1 collisions to cause cache poisoning, allowing one sandbox…

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configuration to be misinterpreted as another and enabling unsafe sandbox state reuse.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1557 Adversary-in-the-Middle Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to position themselves between two or more networked devices using an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) technique to support follow-on behaviors such as [Network Sniffing](https://attack.
T1040 Network Sniffing Credential Access
Adversaries may passively sniff network traffic to capture information about an environment, including authentication material passed over the network.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2026-28481Same product: Openclaw Openclaw
CVE-2026-40045Same product: Openclaw Openclaw
CVE-2026-32065Same product: Openclaw Openclaw
CVE-2026-8305Same product: Openclaw Openclaw
CVE-2026-28471Same product: Openclaw Openclaw
CVE-2026-35643Same product: Openclaw Openclaw
CVE-2026-32987Same product: Openclaw Openclaw
CVE-2026-32053Same product: Openclaw Openclaw
CVE-2026-28449Same product: Openclaw Openclaw
CVE-2026-41351Same product: Openclaw Openclaw

Affected Assets

openclaw
openclaw
≤ 2026.2.15

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 6 hardening rules · 6 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SC-13 requires selection and implementation of specific cryptography types, directly stopping use of broken algorithms.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.DS-01 partial match
prevents

PR.DS-01 promotes encryption for data-at-rest but never requires strong algorithms, leaving CWE-327 fully possible; the weakness is also far broader than data-at-rest so one narrow control removes none of its total risk.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

prevents

Mandating approved algorithms, cipher strength and usage standards directly stops the selection of broken or weak cryptographic primitives that attackers can exploit.

prevents

The explicit call-out of cryptography-related legal constraints (import/export, key escrow, digital-signature validity) reduces the likelihood that an organization will adopt broken or non-compliant cryptographic algorithms that violate those rules.

prevents

Access to current specialist guidance and early vulnerability alerts enables timely replacement of broken or risky cryptographic algorithms with stronger alternatives.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248524 OL 8 must implement NIST FIPS-validated cryptography for the following: To provision digital signatures, to generate cryptographic hashes, and to protect data requiring data-at-rest protections in accordance with applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, and standards. prevents CWE-327
Windows 10 (1 rule)
  • V-220937 The system must be configured to prevent the storage of the LAN Manager hash of passwords. prevents CWE-327
Windows 11 (1 rule)
  • V-253461 The system must be configured to prevent the storage of the LAN Manager hash of passwords. prevents CWE-327
Windows Server 2016 (1 rule)
  • V-225053 Windows Server 2016 must be configured to prevent the storage of the LAN Manager hash of passwords. prevents CWE-327
Windows Server 2019 (1 rule)
  • V-205654 Windows Server 2019 must be configured to prevent the storage of the LAN Manager hash of passwords. prevents CWE-327
Windows Server 2022 (1 rule)
  • V-254474 Windows Server 2022 must be configured to prevent the storage of the LAN Manager hash of passwords. prevents CWE-327

References