Openclaw cli: OpenClaw: Forged Nostr DMs could create pairing state before signature verification (CVE-2026-41301)
Description
OpenClaw CLI versions from 2026.3.24 up to but not including 2026.3.31 have a vulnerability in the Nostr DM ingress path where forged direct messages could create a pairing state before signature verification. This could allow an unauthenticated remote sender to consume shared pairing capacity and trigger limited relay or logging activity. The issue does not allow message decryption, pairing approval, or broader authorization bypass. The vulnerability was fixed in version 2026.3.31 and later.
CVSS v3.1
Score 5.3medium
Affected software
Run on your own infrastructure? Check whether these packages are installed with threat-finder — our free open-source scanner.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
Before OpenClaw version 2026.3.31, the Nostr direct message ingress path could issue pairing challenges prior to validating the event signature. This flaw allowed a forged DM to create a pending pairing entry and trigger a pairing-reply attempt before the signature was rejected. An unauthenticated remote attacker could exploit this to consume shared pairing capacity and cause bounded relay or logging work on the Nostr channel. The vulnerability does not grant decryption of messages, pairing approval, or any broader authorization bypass. The issue was addressed by verifying inbound DM signatures before pairing replies in commit 4ee742174f36b5445703e3b1ef2fbd6ae6700fa4, released in OpenClaw 2026.3.31.
Potential Impact
An unauthenticated remote attacker can cause resource consumption by creating pending pairing entries and triggering relay or logging operations, potentially leading to denial of service or resource exhaustion within the pairing subsystem. However, the vulnerability does not allow unauthorized message decryption, approval of pairings, or any other authorization bypass.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix is available and was released in OpenClaw version 2026.3.31 on March 31, 2026. Users should upgrade to version 2026.3.31 or later (including the latest 2026.4.1) to remediate this vulnerability. No additional mitigation steps are required as the patch fully addresses the issue.
Technical Details
- Gcve Source
- db.gcve.eu
- Osv Id
- BREW-openclaw-cli-CVE-2026-41301
- Osv Schema Version
- 1.7.3
- Ecosystems
- ["Homebrew"]
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
Threat ID: 6ac245a612601ec6a31661ac
Added to database: 10/04/2026, 12:25:10 UTC
Last enriched: 10/04/2026, 12:51:27 UTC
Last updated: 10/04/2026, 16:08:38 UTC
Views: 1
Community Reviews
0 reviewsCrowdsource mitigation strategies, share intel context, and vote on the most helpful responses. Sign in to add your voice and help keep defenders ahead.
Want to contribute mitigation steps or threat intel context? Sign in or create an account to join the community discussion.
Actions
Updates to AI analysis require Pro Console access. Upgrade inside Console → Billing.
Need more coverage?
Upgrade to Pro Console for AI refresh and higher limits.
For incident response and remediation, OffSeq services can help resolve threats faster.
Latest Threats
Check if your credentials are on the dark web
Instant breach scanning across billions of leaked records. Free tier available.