OpenClaw before 2026.3.28 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the /pair approve command path that fails to forward caller scopes into the core approval check. A caller with pairing privileges but without admin privileges can approve pending device requests asking for broader scopes including admin access by exploiting the missing scope validation in extensions/device-pair/index.ts and src/infra/device-pairing.ts.

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Attack Requirements None

User Interaction None

Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact High

Vulnerable System Integrity Impact High

Vulnerable System Availability Impact None

Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None

Subsequent System Integrity Impact None

Subsequent System Availability Impact None

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required Low

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact High

Integrity Impact High

Availability Impact None

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Exploitation none

Automatable yes

Technical Impact total

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
OpenClaw OpenClaw unaffected
Version Status Constraints
0 affected < 2026.3.28
2026.3.28 unaffected —

No data.

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Project Subscriptions

Vendors Products
Openclaw Subscribe
Openclaw Subscribe
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/e403decb6e20091b5402780a7ccd2085f98aa3cd cve-icon cve-icon
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-hc5h-pmr3-3497 cve-icon cve-icon
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-privilege-escalation-via-missing-caller-scope-validation-in-device-pair-approval cve-icon cve-icon
History

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

 cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N'}

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description OpenClaw before 2026.3.28 contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the /pair approve command path that fails to forward caller scopes into the core approval check. A caller with pairing privileges but without admin privileges can approve pending device requests asking for broader scopes including admin access by exploiting the missing scope validation in extensions/device-pair/index.ts and src/infra/device-pairing.ts.
Title OpenClaw < 2026.3.28 - Privilege Escalation via Missing Caller Scope Validation in Device Pair Approval
First Time appeared Openclaw
Openclaw openclaw
Weaknesses CWE-863
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
Vendors & Products Openclaw
Openclaw openclaw
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.6, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-03-31T18:03:39.045Z

Reserved: 2026-03-23T11:00:48.409Z

Link: CVE-2026-33579

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-03-31T16:12:54.323Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-03-31T15:16:14.960

Modified: 2026-03-31T18:16:54.547

Link: CVE-2026-33579

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses