VulnerabilityPublished 2 Jul 2026

OpenClaw's Slack plugin approvals used the exec approver gate for plugin actions

Affects openclawSource GCVE Database

Severity

Medium

Rated by Threat Radar

Patch: Available – fixed in 2026.5.12

Data as of 2 Jul 2026, 23:21 UTC

What to do

Upgrade openclaw to 2026.5.12.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
npmopenclaw	Affected <2026.5.12	Fixed in 2026.5.12

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

A fix is available in OpenClaw version 2026.5.12. Operators should upgrade to this version to remediate the vulnerability. Until patched, manual review of Slack approval actions is recommended. Additionally, maintain narrow channel and tool allowlists, avoid sharing a Gateway between mutually untrusted users, and disable the affected Slack plugin approval feature when it is not needed.

Description

OpenClaw's Slack plugin approvals used the exec approver gate for plugin actions, allowing Slack users authorized only for exec approvals to resolve plugin approvals improperly. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 2026.5.12. The issue could lead to plugin actions being approved outside the intended approval split, depending on operator configuration and input trust levels. The vulnerability is mitigated by patching to version 2026.5.12 or later and by manual review of Slack approval actions until patched. Additional mitigations include maintaining narrow allowlists and disabling the affected feature when not needed.

Impact

A Slack user authorized only for exec approvals could improperly approve plugin actions, potentially bypassing intended approval controls. This could lead to plugin actions being executed without the intended multi-approval or policy enforcement. The actual impact depends on how the operator has configured approval allowlists and the trust level of inputs reaching the approval process.

Summary

In OpenClaw versions before 2026.5.12, the Slack plugin approval process incorrectly used the exec approver gate for plugin actions. This allowed Slack users with exec approval permissions to resolve plugin approvals that should have required different or additional approval steps. The vulnerability does not alter OpenClaw's trusted-operator model but can result in plugin actions being approved outside the intended approval split. The practical impact depends on the operator's configuration and whether lower-trust inputs can reach the affected approval path. The issue is addressed in version 2026.5.12.

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization (opens in a new tab)
Class weaknessLikelihood of exploit: HighCWE Top 25 (2025): #17OWASP Top 10 A01:2025: Broken Access Control (opens in a new tab)
The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.
Architecture and Design
Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries.
Architecture and Design
Ensure that access control checks are performed related to the business logic. These checks may be different than the access control checks that are applied to more generic resources such as files, connections, processes, memory, and database records.
Architecture and Design · Libraries or Frameworks
Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Authorization (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V8.3.8 (opens in a new tab)
V13.4.2 (opens in a new tab)
V7.2.2 (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 2 Jul 2026, 23:21 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-863

Technical details

References

Community reviews

Related threats