CVE-2026-43566: OpenClaw · Heartbeat owner downgrade missed untrusted webhook wake events
Affects openclawSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.1 Critical : upgrade to 2026.4.14 as a priority.
Data as of 27 Oct 2026, 00:07 UTC
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 2026.4.14
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 5 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade openclaw to 2026.4.14.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| npmopenclaw | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
## Summary Heartbeat owner downgrade missed untrusted webhook wake events. ## Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` - Ecosystem: npm - Affected versions: `>= 2026.4.7 < 2026.4.14` - Patched versions: `>= 2026.4.14` ## Impact Heartbeat owner downgrade logic could skip webhook wake events carrying untrusted content, preserving owner-like execution context where the run should have been downgraded. ## Technical Details The fix includes wake and hook event reasons in owner-downgrade inspection and forces downgrade for untrusted hook wake events. ## Fix The issue was fixed in #66031. The first stable tag containing the fix is `v2026.4.14`, and `openclaw@2026.4.14` includes the fix. ## Fix Commit(s) - `31281bc92f55796817a92bc43f722cba1e77ab42` - PR: #66031 ## Release Process Note Users should upgrade to `openclaw` 2026.4.14 or newer. The latest npm release, `2026.4.14`, already includes the fix. ## Credits Thanks to @zsxsoft, with sponsorship from @KeenSecurityLab and @qclawer for reporting this issue.
References
- github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-g2hm-779g-vm32 (opens in a new tab)
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43566 (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/66031 (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/31281bc92f55796817a92bc43f722cba1e77ab42 (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/openclaw/openclaw (opens in a new tab)
- vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-untrusted-webhook-wake-events (opens in a new tab)