CVE-2026-35638
Openclaw ≤ 2026.3.22
Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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:XSummary
CVE-2026-35638 is a high-severity Incorrect User Management (CWE-286) vulnerability in Openclaw Openclaw. Its CVSS base score is 8.7 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Account Manipulation (T1098); ranked at the 21th 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 AC-2 (Account Management) and IA-4 (Identifier Management) — 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-2026-35638 is a privilege escalation vulnerability (CWE-286: Missing Authorization) in OpenClaw versions before 2026.3.22. The flaw exists in the Control UI, where unauthenticated sessions can retain self-declared privileged scopes without device identity verification. Attackers exploit a device-less allow path in the trusted-proxy mechanism to declare arbitrary scopes, bypassing required device identity checks and maintaining elevated permissions.
The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating network accessibility, low complexity, and a requirement for low privileges with no user interaction. An attacker with initial low-privilege access to the Control UI can escalate to arbitrary privileged scopes, achieving high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability through unauthorized retention of elevated permissions.
Mitigation is available by upgrading to OpenClaw 2026.3.22 or later. Relevant patches are detailed in GitHub commits 630f1479c44f78484dfa21bb407cbe6f171dac87 and ccf16cd8892402022439346ae1d23352e3707e9e, with further guidance in the GitHub security advisory GHSA-48vw-m3qc-wr99 and VulnCheck advisory at https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-self-declared-scopes-in-trusted-proxy-control-ui.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-21132
Vulnerability Data
OpenClaw before 2026.3.22 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the Control UI that allows unauthenticated sessions to retain self-declared privileged scopes without device identity verification. Attackers can exploit the device-less allow path in the trusted-proxy mechanism to maintain elevated permissions…
more
by declaring arbitrary scopes, bypassing device identity requirements.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 2 hardening rules · 2 OS baselines
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Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
AC-2 directly requires defining, assigning, and controlling user accounts throughout their lifecycle, structurally preventing improper user management.
IA-4 mandates authorized management of user identifiers, stopping the creation or retention of unmanaged user identities.
PS-4 enforces timely disabling and removal of access upon termination, addressing a key failure mode of incorrect ongoing user management.
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.
Directly addresses management of user identities and credentials throughout their lifecycle.
Covers policy-driven definition and review of user permissions and entitlements.
Supports proper user onboarding by binding verified identities to credentials.
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.
Identity management directly governs the full lifecycle of user accounts, preventing incorrect user management.
Access rights provisioning and de-provisioning ensure users are correctly created, modified, and removed.
Responsibilities after termination or change of employment address removal of user access but not ongoing user management.
Privileged access rights assume correct user accounts exist; the control does not manage user creation or removal.
Access control policies rely on accurate user management but do not themselves define user lifecycle processes.
Information access restriction depends on properly managed users but does not address user management itself.
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 9 (1 rule)
- V-271707 OL 9 must enable the Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) interface for SSHD. prevents CWE-286
RHEL 9 (1 rule)
- V-257986 RHEL 9 must enable the Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) interface for SSHD. prevents CWE-286