OpenClaw creator here.
This was a privilege-escalation bug, but not "any random Telegram/Discord message can instantly own every OpenClaw instance."
The root issue was an incomplete fix. The earlier advisory hardened the gateway RPC path for device approvals by passing the caller's scopes into the core approval check. But the `/pair approve` plugin command path still called the same approval function without `callerScopes`, and the core logic failed open when that parameter was missing.
So the strongest confirmed exploit path was: a client that ALREADY HAD GATEWAY ACCESS and enough permission to send commands could use `chat.send` with `/pair approve latest` to approve a pending device request asking for broader scopes, including `operator.admin`. In other words: a scope-ceiling bypass from pairing/write-level access to admin.
This was not primarily a Telegram-specific or message-provider-specific bug. The bug lived in the shared plugin command handler, so any already-authorized command sender that could reach `/pair approve` could hit it. For Telegram specifically, the default DM policy blocks unknown outsiders before command execution, so this was not "message the bot once and get admin." But an already-authorized Telegram sender could still reach the vulnerable path.
The practical risk for this was very low, especially if OpenClaw is used as single-user personal assistant. We're working hard to harden the codebase with folks from Nvidia, ByteDance, Tencent and OpenAI.
machinecontrol
today at 6:26 PM
The root issue is that OpenClaw is 500K+ lines of vibe coded bloat that's impossible to reason about or understand.
Too much focus on shipping features, not enough attention to stability and security.
As the code base grows exponentially, so does the security vulnerability surface.
williamstein
today at 6:44 PM
The current OpenClaw GitHub repo [1] contains 2.1 million lines of code, according to cloc, with 1.6M being typescript. It also has almost 26K commits.
[1] https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
There are like 10 openclaw clones out there. If you prefer security over features, just pick up another one.
dyauspitr
today at 6:33 PM
[flagged]
Aside from "exponentially" being hyperbolic, which part is unsubstantiated?
This is a vibe based comment. It’s a generic attack with no meat.
Is this you?
https://x.com/steipete/status/2005451576971043097
> Confession: I ship code I never read. Here's my 2025 workflow.
Might want to start reading it I'd say.
- "OpenClaw, read the code"
- "You're absolutely right. One should read and understand their own code. I did, and it looks great"
I'm critical of OpenClaw and even the author to some extent, but I prefer to have nuanced and compartmentalized conversations, on a thread about a specific vulnerability, it's much more productive to talk about the specific vulnerability rather than OpenClaw as a whole. Otherwise we would only have generic OpenClaw conversations and we would only be saying the same thing.
nightpool
today at 6:25 PM
Can you speak a little bit more to the stats in the OP?
* 135k+ OpenClaw instances are publicly exposed
* 63% of those run zero authentication. Meaning the "low privilege required" in the CVE = literally anyone on the internet can request pairing access and start the exploit chain
Is this accurate? This is definitely a very different picture then the one you paint
There used to be a time where people who shipped CVEs took accountability.
inetknght
today at 6:38 PM
> There used to be a time where people who shipped CVEs took accountability.
I see you haven't heard of Microsoft...
He took millions of dollars instead, it's working out for him.
lp0_on_fire
today at 6:24 PM
Have you met these AI companies yet?
What time was that and who do we get to blame for Log4j?
According to this[1] your statement that practical risk was low is not accurate.
> The attacker acquires an account or session with operator.pairing scope. On the 63% of exposed OpenClaw instances running without authentication, this step requires no credentials at all — the attacker connects and is assigned base pairing rights.
If that's accurate, then this statement:
> This was a privilege-escalation bug, but not "any random Telegram/Discord message can instantly own every OpenClaw instance."
...is only true for the 37% of authenticated OpenClaw instances.
I'm sure it's extremely stressful and embarrassing to face the prospect that your work created a widespread, significant vulnerability. As another software engineer and a human I empathize with the discomfort of that position. But respectfully, you should put your energy into addressing this and communicating honestly about what happened and the severity, not in attempting to save face and PR damage control. You will be remembered much better for the former.
[1]: https://blink.new/blog/cve-2026-33579-openclaw-privilege-esc...
I am very skeptical about your real technical/engineering abilities.
You might know how to ship products that sell fast, but that's about it.
Your product is a cancer of AI sloppiness.
rossjudson
today at 7:24 PM
With respect...Security through obscurity is dead. We are approaching the point where only formally verified (for security) systems can be trusted. Every possible attack will be attempted. Every opening will be exploited, and every useful combination of those exploits will be done.
LLMs are patient, tireless, capable of rigorous opsec, and effectively infinite in number.
just_once
today at 7:31 PM
Nvidia, ByteDance, Tencent and OpenAI?! Wow!
LucidLynx
today at 7:15 PM
About time to read the code you ship now...
hmokiguess
today at 7:27 PM
Who are you replying to? The tone of your message seems to indicate you want to address some misinformation, but that isn't found here or in OP's link.
Did OpenClaw write this for you?
popalchemist
today at 6:36 PM
The level of seriousness of your attitude here is not commensurate to the blatant security problem you are creating in the world.
What does Telegram/Discord have to do with anything? The OP never mentioned either of these software suites. In fact the only mention of Telegram anywhere in the entire thread is you copy-pasting this exact message.