CVE-2026-53816: OpenClaw · Paired nodes could forge exec lifecycle events without system.run provenance
Affects openclaw-cliSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.2 High : upgrade to 2026.5.18 soon.
Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 11:52 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 27% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 2026.5.18
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 13 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: 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 30 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade openclaw and openclaw-cli to 2026.5.18.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| npmopenclaw | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Homebrewopenclaw-clipkg:brew/openclaw-cliOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
Upgrade OpenClaw CLI to version 2026.5.18 or later, where this vulnerability is patched. Additionally, pair nodes only from trusted environments and remove or re-pair any nodes that may have been compromised to prevent exploitation.
Description
OpenClaw CLI versions prior to 2026.5.18 contain a vulnerability where paired nodes can forge exec lifecycle events without sufficient provenance verification. This allows a malicious or compromised paired node to send crafted lifecycle events to the gateway, potentially causing the gateway to treat attacker-supplied data as legitimate exec lifecycle results. The vulnerability requires the attacker to already control a paired node connection and does not allow unauthenticated access to the gateway. The issue is resolved in version 2026.5.18.