CVE-2026-100535 OpenClaw before 2026.8.1 Privilege Escalation via Session Memory
Attackers can escalate privileges by persisting malicious instructions in session memory that are later executed by a background agent with broader capabilities.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-100535?
CVE-2026-100535 is a high-severity vulnerability in OpenClaw, published on 26 Sep 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
OpenClaw (npm package 'openclaw') versions >= 2026.4.5 and < 2026.8.1 can lose the originating requester's restrictions and untrusted provenance when session-derived text is persisted to session memory. In deployments where session-memory capture and dreaming are enabled, a restricted external sender whose messages are admitted with limited tools can persist instructions that are later supplied to an unattended background (dreaming) agent holding broader file and command capabilities, allowing actions beyond the authority of the original turn and affecting files, commands, or services available to that agent. Exploitation requires the content to be captured, selected for later processing, and followed by the model. The issue is fixed in 2026.8.1.
Weakness: CWE-863
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-100535?
How do I fix CVE-2026-100535?
Upgrade to a fixed version.
Is CVE-2026-100535 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-100535 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-62qm-6fjj-6g23, GHSA-q46f-hgrw-cqvr, MINI-h7m2-7hxm-j935.