Openclaw cli: OpenClaw's Node role device-identity bypass allows unauthorized node.event injection (CVE-2026-32001)

The OpenClaw CLI WebSocket connection path permitted clients authenticated via a shared gateway token to bypass device identity checks and connect with the role=node. Since the role=node is authorized to call node.event, this flaw allowed unauthorized clients to inject node.event messages, triggering agent.request and voice.transcript flows without proper device pairing. The issue affects npm package openclaw versions up to and including 2026.2.21-2. The planned fix in version 2026.2.22 requires device identity verification for role=node connections regardless of shared-token authentication success.

An attacker with access to a shared gateway token can impersonate a node device without pairing and inject node.event messages. This unauthorized event injection can trigger agent execution and voice transcript flows, potentially leading to unintended processing or information disclosure within the affected system. The impact is limited to clients holding the shared token and does not require full device pairing.

Upgrade to OpenClaw CLI version 2026.2.22 or later once it is released. This update enforces device identity verification for role=node connections, preventing unauthorized node.event injection even if shared-token authentication succeeds.