# GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp: OpenClaw's dashboard leaked gateway auth material via browser URL/query and localStorage

> OpenClaw macOS Dashboard leaked admin credentials via URL and localStorage, allowing attackers with browser access to recover tokens and escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Mar 2026

## What is GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp?

GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp is a vulnerability in openclaw, published on 9 Mar 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's macOS Dashboard flow exposed Gateway authentication material to browser-controlled surfaces.

Before the fix, the macOS app appended the shared Gateway `token` and `password` to the Dashboard URL query string when opening the Control UI in the browser. The Control UI then imported the token and persisted it into browser `localStorage` under `openclaw.control.settings.v1`.

This expanded exposure of reusable Gateway admin credentials into browser address-bar/query surfaces and persistent script-readable storage.

## Affected Packages / Versions

- Package: `openclaw` (npm)
- Latest published version verified vulnerable: `2026.3.2`
- Affected range: `<= 2026.3.2`
- Patched version: `>= 2026.3.7`

## Impact

An attacker with access to browser-controlled surfaces or persistent browser storage could recover a valid Gateway admin token and reuse it against the OpenClaw management interface.

The exposure chain was:

1. macOS `Open Dashboard` constructed a URL with auth material.
2. The browser received that credential-bearing URL.
3. The Control UI imported the token from the URL.
4. The Control UI persisted the token in `localStorage`.

## Fix

The fix aligns the macOS Dashboard flow with the safer existing CLI/bootstrap pattern and removes persistent browser token storage:

- macOS Dashboard now passes the Gateway token via URL fragment instead of query parameters.
- macOS Dashboard no longer propagates the shared Gateway password into browser URLs.
- Control UI keeps Gateway tokens in memory only for the current tab.
- Control UI scrubs legacy persisted tokens from `openclaw.control.settings.v1` on load.
- Regression tests cover fragment transport, password omission, and token-scrubbing behavior.

## Fix Commit(s)

- `10d0e3f3ca92326df0ca071fabffe463742f263c` (March 7, 2026)

## Release Process Note

npm `2026.3.7` was published on March 8, 2026. This advisory is fixed in the released package.

Thanks @whiter6666 for reporting.

## Which versions are affected by GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including openclaw.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `openclaw` | npm | All versions | 2026.3.7 |
| `openclaw` | npm | All versions | 2026.3.7 |

## How do I fix GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp?

Upgrade openclaw to 2026.3.7 or later.

## Is GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp is a vulnerability in openclaw, published on 9 Mar 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- openclaw (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 2026.3.7
- openclaw (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 2026.3.7

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/GHSA-rchv-x836-w7xp/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.