OpenClaw's Zalo group sender allowlist bypass permits unauthorized GROUP dispatch

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Description

A missing group-sender authorization check in the Zalo plugin allowed unauthorized GROUP messages to enter agent dispatch paths in configurations intended to restrict group traffic.

Impact

When Zalo group handling was configured with allowlist-style controls, a sender not present in the intended group allowlist could still trigger agent processing through the GROUP message path.

Root Cause

Group access checks were not consistently enforced before dispatch for Zalo GROUP messages. The fix adds explicit runtime group-policy evaluation (groupPolicy, groupAllowFrom, fallback to allowFrom) and fail-closed behavior for missing provider config.

Affected Packages / Versions

  • Package: openclaw (npm)
  • Latest published vulnerable version: 2026.2.23 (as of 2026-02-24)
  • Affected range: <= 2026.2.23
  • Planned patched version: 2026.2.24

Fix Commit(s)

  • b4010a0b627025c809c0e5dbdbd4770f3bc59ef8

OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

Publication Update (2026-02-25)

[email protected] is published on npm and contains the fix commit(s) listed above. This advisory now marks >= 2026.2.24 as patched.

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
medium
Advisory on GitHub
Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory
Open repository advisory ↗
Source code
Browse source ↗
Published (advisory)
2026-03-03 23:18:26 UTC
Updated
2026-03-03 23:18:30 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2026-03-03 23:18:26 UTC

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
5.3 4.0 —
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Exploitation conditions are straightforward and stable.
Attack requirements (AT:N)
No additional preconditions are required beyond normal reachability.
Privileges required (PR:L)
Low privileges are required.
User interaction (UI:N)
No user interaction is required.
Vulnerable system confidentiality impact (VC:N)
No confidentiality impact on the vulnerable system.
Vulnerable system integrity impact (VI:L)
Limited integrity impact on the vulnerable system.
Vulnerable system availability impact (VA:N)
No availability impact on the vulnerable system.
Subsequent system confidentiality impact (SC:N)
No confidentiality impact on subsequent systems.
Subsequent system integrity impact (SI:N)
No integrity impact on subsequent systems.
Subsequent system availability impact (SA:N)
No availability impact on subsequent systems.

Identifiers

Type Value
GHSA GHSA-534w-2vm4-89xr ↗

CWEs

CWE id Name
CWE-284 Improper Access Control
CWE-863 Incorrect Authorization

Credits

  • tdjackey (reporter)

Affected packages (1)

Vulnerable version ranges and first patched releases as published by GitHub.

Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range First patched Vulnerable functions
npm openclaw <= 2026.2.23 2026.2.24 —

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence