Openclaw cli: OpenClaw: Existing WS sessions survive shared gateway token rotation (CVE-2026-42421)
Description
OpenClaw CLI versions up to 2026.4.1 have a vulnerability where existing WebSocket sessions survive shared gateway token rotation. This means that rotating the shared gateway token does not disconnect existing WebSocket sessions that use the shared token, potentially allowing continued access despite token rotation. The issue is specific to the OpenClaw trust model and does not assume a multi-tenant environment. A fix is available in version 2026.4.8.
CVSS v4.0
Affected software
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AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The vulnerability in OpenClaw CLI (CVE-2026-42421) allows existing WebSocket sessions authenticated with a shared gateway token to persist even after the token is rotated. This behavior undermines the security intent of token rotation by not terminating active sessions that rely on the old token. The issue affects versions from 2026.1.29 up to but not including 2026.4.8. The problem was addressed and fixed in commit d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5 and released in version 2026.4.8.
Potential Impact
Because existing WebSocket sessions remain active after the shared gateway token is rotated, an attacker or unauthorized user with an active session could maintain access despite token rotation. This weakens session invalidation controls and could lead to unauthorized continued access within the OpenClaw environment. The impact is limited to the OpenClaw trust model and does not extend to multi-tenant service boundaries.
Mitigation Recommendations
Users should upgrade to OpenClaw CLI version 2026.4.8 or later, where the issue has been fixed. The fix has been verified with targeted regression tests. No additional mitigation steps are required beyond applying the official patch.
Technical Details
- Gcve Source
- db.gcve.eu
- Osv Id
- BREW-openclaw-cli-CVE-2026-42421
- Osv Schema Version
- 1.7.3
- Ecosystems
- ["Homebrew"]
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
Threat ID: 6ac2459812601ec6a3165d41
Added to database: 10/04/2026, 12:24:56 UTC
Last enriched: 10/04/2026, 12:44:16 UTC
Last updated: 10/04/2026, 16:08:38 UTC
Views: 1
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