What happened
OpenClaw is an agent gateway distributed as the npm package 'openclaw'. In versions >= 2026.4.5 and < 2026.8.1, the Gateway validated a single DNS resolution result for a configured remote Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) hostname, but the raw WebSocket and Playwright transports performed a later, independent DNS resolution, discarding the DNS pinning enforced at validation time. An attacker who controls an approved CDP hostname or its DNS answers can exploit this check-then-use gap via DNS rebinding to make the Gateway connect to a loopback, private, link-local, cloud metadata, or other SSRF-policy-denied address. The impact depends on the remote CDP configuration, DNS timing, and the services reachable from the Gateway host. The issue is fixed in 2026.8.1; as a mitigation, disable hostname-based remote CDP endpoints or restrict them to trusted, stable infrastructure.
Affected versions
OpenClaw: 2026.4.5 through 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.