CVE-2026-19007 Overview
CVE-2026-19007 is an improper privilege management vulnerability [CWE-266] in the mf-yang openclaw-cn project through version 0.2.1. The flaw resides in the isApprovedElevatedSender function within src/auto-reply/reply/reply-elevated.ts. An authenticated remote attacker can manipulate the sender approval logic to gain elevated privileges within the auto-reply subsystem. The exploit has been publicly disclosed. The maintainer received an issue report but has not responded at the time of publication.
Critical Impact
Remote actors with low privileges can bypass the elevated sender approval check, resulting in unauthorized privileged actions against the affected auto-reply component.
Affected Products
- mf-yang openclaw-cn versions up to and including 0.2.1
- Affected function: isApprovedElevatedSender
- Affected file: src/auto-reply/reply/reply-elevated.ts
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-08-06 - CVE-2026-19007 published to NVD
- 2026-08-06 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-19007
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability affects the sender authorization path in openclaw-cn, an automation project written in TypeScript. The isApprovedElevatedSender function is intended to determine whether an incoming sender is permitted to trigger elevated auto-reply actions. Improper validation in this function allows an attacker to be treated as an approved elevated sender without holding the required privilege. Once accepted, the caller can invoke behavior reserved for authorized users. The issue is classified under [CWE-266: Incorrect Privilege Assignment].
Root Cause
The root cause is improper privilege management inside isApprovedElevatedSender. The function fails to enforce a strict authorization check before granting elevated status. Because the decision is made in application logic and not backed by a cryptographically verified identity, attacker-influenced input reaches the approval branch. This design gap collapses the boundary between standard senders and elevated senders.
Attack Vector
Exploitation occurs over the network against an exposed openclaw-cn instance. The attacker requires low privileges and no user interaction. By sending a crafted message or request that traverses the reply-elevated.ts handler, the attacker triggers the flawed approval logic. Public disclosure of the exploit lowers the barrier to reproduction. See the VulDB Vulnerability Details and GitHub Issue Tracker for reference material. No verified proof-of-concept code is included in this article.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-19007
Indicators of Compromise
- Auto-reply actions executed on behalf of senders that are not in the approved elevated list.
- Log entries showing isApprovedElevatedSender returning true for unexpected identifiers.
- Repeated inbound requests targeting the reply-elevated route from a single external source.
Detection Strategies
- Instrument src/auto-reply/reply/reply-elevated.ts with structured logging that records the sender identifier, the approval outcome, and the request source.
- Compare runtime approval decisions against a static allowlist maintained outside the code path.
- Alert on any privileged auto-reply action whose originating sender has never previously been observed.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward openclaw-cn application logs to a centralized log platform and retain them for post-incident review.
- Track the rate of elevated auto-reply invocations and baseline normal volume per sender.
- Review the GitHub PoC Repository for updates to the vulnerable function and add integrity monitoring to that file.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-19007
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network exposure of the openclaw-cn service to trusted networks until a fix is published.
- Disable the elevated auto-reply feature if it is not required for operations.
- Audit historical logs for use of isApprovedElevatedSender and revoke any actions taken by unapproved senders.
Patch Information
No official patch is available at the time of publication. The maintainer was informed through the GitHub Issue Tracker but has not responded. Monitor the VulDB CVE Entry and the upstream repository for a fixed release beyond version 0.2.1.
Workarounds
- Apply a local patch to isApprovedElevatedSender that validates sender identity against a hard-coded allowlist before returning true.
- Place the service behind an authenticated reverse proxy that filters requests to the reply-elevated handler.
- Run the process under a least-privilege account so that any successful abuse produces limited downstream impact.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
