OpenClaw vulnerability

OpenClaw versions before 2026.8.1 contain a resource exhaustion vulnerability in the Gateway listener that allows unauthenticated clients to retain response sockets by sending WebSocket upgrade requests without matching connection semantics. Attackers can repeatedly send malformed upgrade requests to exhaust listener resources and cause denial of service without consuming the WebSocket pre-auth connection budget.

Published 26 Sep 2026Updated 26 Sep 20262 sources
CVSS 8.7

What happened

OpenClaw versions before 2026.8.1 contain a resource exhaustion vulnerability in the Gateway listener that allows unauthenticated clients to retain response sockets by sending WebSocket upgrade requests without matching connection semantics. Attackers can repeatedly send malformed upgrade requests to exhaust listener resources and cause denial of service without consuming the WebSocket pre-auth connection budget.

Affected versions

OpenClaw: before 2026.8.1 (semver) Fixed: See vendor advisory.

Why it matters

Review the vendor advisory and exposure of the affected product to determine operational impact.

Detection & mitigation

  • Apply vendor-provided updates or mitigations.
  • Review affected product exposure and access logs.

Public PoC references

No public PoC reference has passed the current publication threshold.