CVE-2026-32897: OpenClaw reuses the gateway auth token in the owner ID prompt hashing fallback
Vulnerability OpenClaw reused gateway.auth.token (and gateway.remote.token) as a fallback hash secret for owner-ID prompt obfuscation when commands.ownerDisplay=hash and commands.ownerDisplaySecret was unset. This created secret dual-use between gateway authentication and prompt metadata hashing. Impact - Auth-secret dual-use across security domains (gateway auth and prompt metadata hashing).
Published Mar 3, 2026 · Updated Mar 24, 2026
Affected packages
openclaw
- Ecosystem
- npm
- Affected
- <= 2026.2.21-2
- Fixed in
- 2026.2.22
- Check
npm ls openclaw
Advisory details
From the GitHub Advisory Database (CC BY 4.0).
Vulnerability
OpenClaw reused gateway.auth.token (and gateway.remote.token) as a fallback hash secret for owner-ID prompt obfuscation when commands.ownerDisplay=hash and commands.ownerDisplaySecret was unset.
This created secret dual-use between gateway authentication and prompt metadata hashing.
Impact
- Auth-secret dual-use across security domains (gateway auth and prompt metadata hashing).
- Hash outputs are visible to third-party model providers in system prompts.
- No direct plaintext token disclosure.
- Practical risk is highest when operators use weak gateway tokens and leave owner hash secret unset.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Latest affected published version:
2026.2.21-2 - Vulnerable range:
<= 2026.2.21-2 - Patched version (planned next release):
2026.2.22
Affected Components
src/agents/cli-runner/helpers.tssrc/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.tssrc/agents/pi-embedded-runner/compact.ts
Remediation
- Added a shared owner-display resolver and secret-generation helper.
- Removed fallback to
gateway.auth.tokenandgateway.remote.token. - Auto-generates and persists a dedicated
commands.ownerDisplaySecretwhen hash mode is enabled and secret is missing.
Fix Commit(s)
- c99e7696e6893083b256f0a6c88fb060f3a76fb7
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.22). Once npm release 2026.2.22 is published, this advisory only needs to be published.
OpenClaw thanks @aether-ai-agent for reporting.
References
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-v6x2-2qvm-6gv8
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/c99e7696e6893083b256f0a6c88fb060f3a76fb7
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32897
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-authentication-token-reuse-in-owner-id-prompt-hashing-fallback
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-v6x2-2qvm-6gv8
How this page is made: the data panel comes from the GitHub Advisory Database, CISA’s KEV catalog, the NVD and FIRST EPSS, and updates twice a day. No analysis has been written for this entry yet. Methodology
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