CVE-2026-40045
Openclaw ≤ 2026.4.2
Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/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:XCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2026-40045 is a medium-severity Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information (CWE-319) vulnerability in Openclaw Openclaw. Its CVSS base score is 5.9 (Medium).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Network Sniffing (T1040); ranked at the 2th 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-8 (Transmission Confidentiality and Integrity) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-23995
Vulnerability Data
OpenClaw before 2026.4.2 accepts non-loopback cleartext ws:// gateway endpoints and transmits stored gateway credentials over unencrypted connections. Attackers can forge discovery results or craft setup codes to redirect clients to malicious endpoints, disclosing plaintext gateway credentials.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
SC-8 directly requires protecting confidentiality of transmitted information, which structurally eliminates cleartext transmission of sensitive data.
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.
Encryption of data-in-transit directly prevents cleartext transmission while the control also addresses integrity and availability.
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.
Specifying encryption and other security technology for network services prevents transmission of sensitive information in cleartext over potentially untrusted channels.
Mandating cryptographic protection and stronger authentication on public networks stops the transmission of plaintext sensitive information.
Specifying communications-security requirements and secure remote-access methods (including encryption expectations) prevents the transmission of sensitive data in cleartext over home or public networks.
Armoured conduits, electromagnetic shielding and locked enclosures make passive eavesdropping on unencrypted traffic traversing the cables more difficult, mitigating exposure of sensitive data in transit.