CVE-2026-40045 OpenClaw < 2026.4.2 - Cleartext Credential Transmission via Unencrypted WebSocket Gateway Endpoints
Attackers can redirect clients to malicious endpoints to steal plaintext gateway credentials transmitted over unencrypted WebSocket connections.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-40045?
CVE-2026-40045 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Openclaw Openclaw, published on 20 Apr 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
OpenClaw before 2026.4.2 accepts non-loopback cleartext ws:// gateway endpoints and transmits stored gateway credentials over unencrypted connections. Attackers can forge discovery results or craft setup codes to redirect clients to malicious endpoints, disclosing plaintext gateway credentials.
Weakness: CWE-319
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-40045?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including openclaw. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
openclaw npm | All versions | 2026.4.2 |
openclaw npm | All versions | 2026.4.2 |
Products include Openclaw Openclaw.
How do I fix CVE-2026-40045?
Upgrade openclaw to 2026.4.2 or later.
Is CVE-2026-40045 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-40045 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Openclaw Openclaw
- CVE-2026-28363 Security feature bypass in OpenClaw
- CVE-2026-30741 Code injection in n/a
- CVE-2026-33579 OpenClaw < 2026.3.28 - Privilege Escalation via Missing Caller Scope Validation in Device Pair Approval
- CVE-2026-32922 OpenClaw < 2026.3.11 - Privilege Escalation via Unvalidated Scope in device.token.rotate
- CVE-2026-32978 OpenClaw < 2026.3.11 - Approval Bypass via Unrecognized Script Runners
Sources
Also known as GHSA-83f3-hh45-vfw9, MINI-x3px-mgj4-3pxj.