Advisory details:
github_osv / GHSA-jhpv-5j76-m56h
| Advisory ID | github_osv/GHSA-jhpv-5j76-m56h |
| Aliases |
CVE-2026-42438
|
| Summary | OpenClaw: Sender policy bypass in host media attachment reads allows unauthorized local file disclosure ## Summary OpenClaw's outbound host-media attachment read helper could enable host-local file reads based on global or agent-level read access without also honoring sender and group-scoped tool policy. In channel deployments that used `toolsBySender` or group policy to deny `read` for less-trusted senders, a denied sender could still trigger host-media attachment loading and cause readable local files to be returned through the outbound media path. ## Affected Versions This issue is known to affect OpenClaw 2026.4.9. Earlier versions were not confirmed during triage, so the advisory range is intentionally scoped to `>= 2026.4.9 < 2026.4.10`. ## Impact Affected deployments are those that both allow host read or filesystem root expansion at the global/agent level and rely on sender or group-scoped policy to deny `read` for some channel participants. In that configuration, the intended sender/group authorization boundary could be bypassed for outbound media reads, potentially disclosing host-local files readable by the OpenClaw process. The issue does not require treating the model prompt as the security boundary. The vulnerable behavior was a concrete policy enforcement mismatch: sender/group policy denied `read`, while the host-media read helper could still be installed without that sender context. ## Resolution Fixed in OpenClaw 2026.4.10 by PR #64459, commit `c949af9fabf3873b5b7c484090cb5f5ab6049a98`. The fix threads sender, session, channel, and account context into outbound media access resolution and intersects host-media read capability creation with the existing group tool policy for `read`. When a concrete sender/group override denies `read`, OpenClaw no longer creates the host `readFile` media capability. Additional attachment canonicalization hardening shipped in 2026.4.14, but the authorization bypass described here was fixed in 2026.4.10. ## Credit Thanks to @Telecaster2147 for reporting this issue. |
| Status | Published |
| Exploitability | 0.5 |
| Weighted Severity | 5.4 |
| Risk | 2.7 |
| Affected and Fixed Packages | Package Details |
| Introduced and Fixed Package Commit Patches | Package Commit Patches Details |
| CWE-863 | Incorrect Authorization |
| System | Score | Found at |
|---|---|---|
| cvssv4 | 6.0 | https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2026/04/GHSA-jhpv-5j76-m56h/GHSA-jhpv-5j76-m56h.json |
| generic_textual | MODERATE |
No EPSS data available for this advisory.
| Patch URL | |
|---|---|
| There are no known patches. | |
| Attack Vector (AV) | Attack Complexity (AC) | Attack Requirements (AT) | Privileges Required (PR) | User Interaction (UI) | Vulnerable System Impact Confidentiality (VC) | Vulnerable System Impact Integrity (VI) | Vulnerable System Impact Availability (VA) | Subsequent System Impact Confidentiality (SC) | Subsequent System Impact Integrity (SI) | Subsequent System Impact Availability (SA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
network adjacent local physical |
low high |
none present |
none low high |
none passive active |
high low none |
high low none |
high low none |
high low none |
high low none |
high low none |
Vector: SSVCv2/E:N/A:N/T:P/P:M/B:A/M:M/D:T/2026-05-05T14:48:10Z/
Decision: Track
Source URL: https://github.com/cisagov/vulnrichment/blob/develop/2026/42xxx/CVE-2026-42438.json
Source Advisory: vulnrichment/CVE-2026-42438
[{'Exploitation': 'none'},
{'Automatable': 'no'},
{'Technical Impact': 'partial'},
{'Mission Prevalence': 'minimal'},
{'Public Well-being Impact': 'material'},
{'Mission & Well-being': 'medium'}]