OpenClaw has an opt-in insecure Control UI auth over plaintext HTTP could allow privileged access
## Description In affected releases, when an operator explicitly enabled `gateway.controlUi.allowInsecureAuth: true` and exposed the gateway over plaintext HTTP, Control UI authentication could permit privileged operator access without the intended device identity + pairing guarantees. This required an insecure deployment choice and credential exposure risk (for example, plaintext transit or prior token leak). It was fixed on `main` in commit `40a292619e1f2be3a3b1db663d7494c9c2dc0abf` ([PR #20684](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/20684)). ## Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected published versions: `<= 2026.2.19-2` - Planned patched version: `2026.2.21` ## Impact In these explicitly insecure deployments, an attacker with leaked/intercepted credentials could obtain high-privilege Control UI access. ## Fix Commit(s) - `40a292619e1f2be3a3b1db663d7494c9c2dc0abf` (merged 2026-02-20) OpenClaw thanks @Vasco0x4 for reporting.
describes (1)
Related CVEs.
| ID | severity | exploitable | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-32034US | —OT elevated | — | ||
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.21 contain an authentication bypass vulnerability in the Control UI when allowInsecureAuth is explicitly enabled and the gateway is exposed over p… | ||||
references
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclawPACKAGE
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/40a292619e1f2be3a3b1db663d7494c9c2dc0abfWEB
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/20684WEB
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-3cvx-236h-m9fjWEB
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32034ADVISORY
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-insecure-control-ui-authentication-over-plaintext-httpWEB
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