OpenClaw Loopback CDP probe can leak Gateway token to local listener

Summary

A local process can capture the OpenClaw Gateway auth token from Chrome CDP probe traffic on loopback.

Details

Affected versions inject x-openclaw-relay-token for loopback CDP URLs, and CDP reachability probes send that header to /json/version. If an attacker controls the probed loopback port, they can read that token and reuse it as Gateway bearer auth.

Relevant code paths (pre-fix):

• src/browser/extension-relay.ts (getChromeExtensionRelayAuthHeaders)
• src/browser/cdp.helpers.ts (getHeadersWithAuth)
• src/browser/chrome.ts (fetchChromeVersion)

Affected Packages / Versions

• Package: openclaw (npm)
• Latest published (at triage): 2026.2.21-2
• Vulnerable: <= 2026.2.21-2
• Patched: >= 2026.2.22

Deployment Model Applicability

This does not change OpenClaw’s documented security model for standard single-owner installs (you own the machine/VPS and trust local processes under that OS account boundary). Risk is for non-standard shared-user/shared-host installs where an untrusted local user/process can race/bind the loopback relay port.

Impact

• Local credential disclosure.
• Follow-on impact depends on local deployment and enabled Gateway capabilities.

Fix Commit(s)

• afa22acc4a09fdf32be8a167ae216bee85c30dad

Release Process Note

Patched version is set to >= 2026.2.22 for the published release.

OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.