CVE-2026-62224: OpenClaw MS Teams Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2026-62224 Overview

CVE-2026-62224 is an authorization bypass vulnerability in OpenClaw MS Teams versions before 2026.5.12. The allowFrom feature binds authorization decisions to mutable display names rather than immutable identifiers. Attackers with lower-trust access can change or spoof a display name to perform actions that should require stronger authorization. The weakness maps to CWE-290: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing. The issue is network-exploitable and requires low privileges, but delivers limited confidentiality and integrity impact.

Critical Impact
Authenticated users with low-trust roles can bypass authorization checks bound to display names, enabling actions restricted to higher-privileged principals in OpenClaw MS Teams.

Affected Products

OpenClaw MS Teams versions prior to 2026.5.12
Deployments using the allowFrom authorization feature
Environments permitting user-controlled display name modification

Discovery Timeline

2026-07-17 - CVE-2026-62224 published to NVD
2026-07-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-62224

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from binding authorization logic to a mutable attribute. The allowFrom feature in OpenClaw MS Teams evaluates whether an actor is permitted to invoke a protected action by comparing the actor's display name against an allowlist. Display names are user-controllable and can collide with, or be changed to match, values reserved for higher-privileged principals. As a result, authorization decisions do not reliably reflect the identity behind the request.

The flaw is classified under [CWE-290] as authentication bypass by spoofing. Exploitation does not require breaking cryptographic primitives or corrupting memory. Instead, an attacker manipulates a legitimate identity attribute that the application incorrectly treats as authoritative. The GitHub Security Advisory and the VulnCheck Advisory document the affected feature and fixed release.

Root Cause

OpenClaw MS Teams uses display name strings, rather than immutable subject identifiers, when resolving allowFrom policies. Because display names can be edited by lower-trust users, the trust boundary between authorization policy and user input collapses.

Attack Vector

An authenticated attacker with low privileges modifies a display name to match a value referenced by an allowFrom policy. The attacker then invokes the protected action over the network. The service consults the mutable display name, matches the allowlist entry, and grants the action. No user interaction from the impersonated party is required, though the attack does depend on specific preconditions in the target deployment.

With no verified public exploit code available, the current EPSS probability remains low. Refer to the vendor advisory for feature-level exploitation details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-62224

Indicators of Compromise

Display name changes on lower-trust accounts that mirror privileged or service account names
Successful invocations of allowFrom-gated actions originating from recently renamed accounts
Repeated display name churn on the same principal within short time windows
Authorization decisions logged against names rather than stable subject identifiers

Detection Strategies

Correlate directory or profile events showing display name updates with subsequent access to protected endpoints
Alert when an account exercises an allowFrom-protected action for the first time after a display name change
Baseline the set of principals authorized under each allowFrom policy and flag deviations by immutable ID
Review OpenClaw MS Teams audit logs for authorization decisions that reference display names without a corresponding stable identifier

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest OpenClaw MS Teams application and identity logs into a centralized analytics platform for cross-source correlation
Track display name modification events alongside authorization outcomes to expose spoofing patterns
Monitor for policy evaluations where two distinct subject IDs share the same display name

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-62224

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade OpenClaw MS Teams to version 2026.5.12 or later
Inventory all allowFrom policies and rewrite them to reference immutable identifiers such as subject IDs or object GUIDs
Restrict which roles can modify display names on principals covered by authorization policies
Review recent display name changes and correlate them against sensitive action logs

Patch Information

The fix ships in OpenClaw MS Teams 2026.5.12. The upstream advisory is published at the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-7w4v-g4m6-j88v. Third-party analysis is available in the VulnCheck Advisory. Apply the update through your standard change management process and verify by checking the deployed version string after upgrade.

Workarounds

Disable or narrowly scope the allowFrom feature until the patch is applied
Lock display name fields for accounts referenced by authorization policies
Require administrator approval for display name changes on accounts with access to sensitive functions
Add compensating controls that re-verify the caller's immutable identity at the action handler layer

bash

# Verify installed OpenClaw MS Teams version meets the fixed release
openclaw --version
# Expected: 2026.5.12 or later