CVE-2026-100548 OpenClaw CVE debrief

Who should care

Defenders who use OpenClaw in their applications should assess their exposure and take necessary actions to mitigate the vulnerability. They should verify their OpenClaw configuration, update to version 2026.8.1 or later, and configure providers with separate, narrowly scoped credentials to prevent potential credential exposure.

Why it matters

CVE-2026-100548 is a medium-severity vulnerability in OpenClaw that can lead to credential exposure. Defenders should assess their exposure, update to version 2026.8.1 or later, and configure providers with separate credentials.

• Potential credential exposure to unintended vendors
• Possible unauthorized access with the exposed credential
• Need to verify OpenClaw configuration and update to a fixed version
• Importance of configuring each provider with separate, narrowly scoped credentials

Technical summary

The OpenClaw npm package versions >= 2026.3.28 and < 2026.8.1 contain a credential exposure issue in memory embedding failover. When remote embedding fallback is configured and the primary embedding provider fails, the request can be sent to a different fallback provider while still reusing the primary provider's configured API key, causing that credential to be transmitted as a bearer token to an unintended vendor. This issue can lead to potential credential exposure to unintended vendors and possible unauthorized access with the exposed credential.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize verifying their OpenClaw configuration and updating to version 2026.8.1 or later. They should also assess their exposure based on their specific use case and configured providers.

Recommended defensive actions

• Verify OpenClaw configuration and update to version 2026.8.1 or later
• Assess exposure based on specific use case and configured providers
• Disable cross-provider embedding fallback or configure each provider with separate, narrowly scoped credentials
• Review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review
• Track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details about the vulnerability. However, the corpus does not establish versions, exploitation, impact, or remediation beyond the provided information. OpenClaw versions >= 2026.3.28 and < 2026.8.1 are affected. The issue arises when remote embedding fallback is configured and the primary embedding provider fails. The request can be sent to a different fallback provider while reusing the primary provider's configured API key, causing that credential to be transmitted as a bearer token to an ...

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.