---
title: "CVE-2026-43585: OpenClaw: Gateway HTTP endpoints re-resolve bearer auth after SecretRef rotation"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-43585/
description: "CVE-2026-43585 (openclaw (npm)): OpenClaw before 2026.4.15 captures resolved bearer-auth configuration at startup, allowing revoked tokens to remain valid…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-05-06
date_modified: 2026-05-12
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-43585"
kev: false
cvss: 9.2
epss: 0.00797
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-43585: OpenClaw: Gateway HTTP endpoints re-resolve bearer auth after SecretRef rotation

**Signal:** Critical and remotely reachable. No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
- EPSS 0.8% , percentile 56: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.8% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 56% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes openclaw (npm) < 2026.4.15, fixed in 2026.4.15 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

OpenClaw before 2026.4.15 captures resolved bearer-auth configuration at startup, allowing revoked tokens to remain valid after SecretRef rotation. Gateway HTTP and WebSocket handlers fail to re-resolve authentication per-request, enabling attackers to use rotated-out bearer tokens for unauthorized gateway access.

## Affected packages

- npm `openclaw` < 2026.4.15 → fixed: 2026.4.15

## Affected products (CVE record)

- OpenClaw OpenClaw: < 2026.4.15

## Severity

- VulnCheck CVSS 4.0: 9.2 `CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`
- VulnCheck CVSS 3.1: 8.1 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 4.0: 9.2 `CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none , automatable no , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.80% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 56.

## Sources

- [GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-xmxx-7p24-h892)](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-xmxx-7p24-h892)
- [Patch Commit](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/acd4e0a32f12e1ad85f3130f63b42443ce90f094)
- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-xmxx-7p24-h892](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-xmxx-7p24-h892)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-43585](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43585)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-43585](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43585)
- [VulnCheck Advisory: OpenClaw < 2026.4.15 - Bearer Token Validation Bypass via Stale SecretRef Resolution](https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-bearer-token-validation-bypass-via-stale-secretref-resolution)
- [github.com](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/66651)

---
Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-43585/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt