Openclaw cli: OpenClaw: Pairing setup codes exposed long-lived shared gateway credentials instead of short-lived bootstrap tokens (CVE-2026-33575)
Description
OpenClaw CLI versions up to 2026.3.11 exposed long-lived shared gateway credentials in pairing setup codes generated by the /pair and openclaw qr commands. These setup codes embedded the shared gateway token or password directly, allowing anyone with access to the code (via logs, screenshots, or chat history) to recover and reuse these credentials outside the intended one-time pairing process. This issue was fixed in version 2026.3.12 by replacing the long-lived credentials with short-lived bootstrap tokens valid only for initial device bootstrap. Users should update to 2026.3.12 or later and rotate any exposed credentials if leaks are suspected.
CVSS v4.0
Affected software
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AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
OpenClaw CLI pairing setup codes generated by the /pair and openclaw qr commands embedded the configured shared gateway token or password directly in the setup payload. This allowed an attacker who obtained the setup code from logs, screenshots, or chat history to recover long-lived shared gateway credentials. Such credentials could be reused outside the intended one-time pairing flow, posing a security risk. The vulnerability affects openclaw versions from 2026.1.29 up to but not including 2026.3.12. The issue was fixed in version 2026.3.12 by using short-lived bootstrap tokens instead of long-lived credentials in setup codes.
Potential Impact
An attacker with access to a leaked pairing setup code can recover long-lived shared gateway credentials and reuse them beyond the intended one-time pairing process. This could allow unauthorized access to the gateway or connected devices using these credentials.
Mitigation Recommendations
A fix is available in openclaw version 2026.3.12, which replaces long-lived credentials in setup codes with short-lived bootstrap tokens. Users should update to version 2026.3.12 or later. Additionally, any shared gateway credentials that may have been exposed through leaked setup codes should be rotated to prevent unauthorized reuse.
Technical Details
- Gcve Source
- db.gcve.eu
- Osv Id
- BREW-openclaw-cli-CVE-2026-33575
- Osv Schema Version
- 1.7.3
- Ecosystems
- ["Homebrew"]
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
Threat ID: 6ac245b312601ec6a3166b30
Added to database: 10/04/2026, 12:25:23 UTC
Last enriched: 10/04/2026, 12:58:02 UTC
Last updated: 10/04/2026, 16:08:37 UTC
Views: 1
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