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OpenclawApplication

CVE-2026-53820

MEDIUM · 6.6 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-06-12
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 2026.5.12 or later.
See remediation →
68/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
OpenClaw before 2026.5.12 contains an exec denylist bypass vulnerability in the bundle MCP loopback session-spawn path that allows authenticated callers to bypass intended command restrictions. Attackers can reach the affected bundled MCP session-spawn path to start sessions with broader command reach than intended.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

OpenClaw before version 2026.5.12 contains an exec denylist bypass in the bundle MCP loopback session-spawn path. Authenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability to bypass intended command restrictions and start sessions with broader command execution capabilities than originally allowed, effectively achieving privilege escalation through flawed command filtering logic.

MitigationUpgrade to OpenClaw version 2026.5.12 or later. Additionally, consider migrating from a denylist-based command restriction model to an allowlist approach for more robust access control.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
OpenclawApplication
Affected:< 2026.5.12

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
High
Availability
Low

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify OpenClaw installed version
    Run 'openclaw --version' or check the package manifest/installed files for version metadata. On Linux check /usr/share/openclaw or similar installation directory for version file. On Windows check Program Files/OpenClaw for version info.
    Affected if The installed version is earlier than 2026.5.12 (e.g., 2026.5.11, 2026.4.x, etc.)
  2. Verify MCP session-spawn module exists
    Check if the bundled MCP (Management Control Protocol) loopback session-spawn component is present in the installation. Look for files related to 'mcp', 'session-spawn', or 'loopback' in the OpenClaw config or bin directories.
    Affected if The MCP session-spawn path is present in the installation and is enabled or configurable.
  3. Inspect command denylist configuration
    Locate and read the command denylist configuration file for the MCP session-spawn path. This may be in openclaw.conf, mcp.conf, or similar configuration files under the config directory.
    Affected if A command denylist is configured but the MCP loopback session-spawn path can bypass it (requires comparing against known vulnerable behavior).
  4. Confirm authenticated access scope
    Review user authentication settings and session creation policies to determine if lower-privilege authenticated users can create MCP sessions. Check user role definitions and session spawn permissions.
    Affected if Authenticated users (especially non-admin or limited-privilege accounts) can initiate MCP sessions.

You are affected if OpenClaw is installed with a version lower than 2026.5.12 AND the MCP loopback session-spawn path is present and accessible to authenticated users, allowing potential command denylist bypass.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 2026.5.12 or later
Fixed in 2026.5.12
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to OpenClaw version 2026.5.12 or later. Additionally, consider migrating from a denylist-based command restriction model to an allowlist approach for more robust access control.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

OpenClaw 2026.5.12

  1. 1. Back up your current OpenClaw installation and configuration
  2. 2. Download OpenClaw version 2026.5.12 or later from the official repository
  3. 3. Stop the OpenClaw service if currently running
  4. 4. Replace the existing OpenClaw installation files with the new version
  5. 5. Restore your backed-up configuration files if needed
  6. 6. Start the OpenClaw service
  7. 7. Verify the installation by checking that the MCP loopback session-spawn path now properly enforces command restrictions

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Openclaw Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
28.0 hours of engineering $4,760
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-53820 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data