OpenClaw Gateway Plugin Path Traversal Vulnerability Allowing Authentication Bypass

A path traversal vulnerability has been identified in OpenClaw gateway plugin versions prior to 2026.2.26. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass authentication checks on protected plugin channel routes by manipulating the /api/channels paths with encoded dot-segment traversal sequences. When plugin handlers normalize the incoming paths, the encoded traversal patterns can be used to access routes that should be protected, effectively circumventing security controls.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability allows for authentication bypass on protected plugin channel routes, enabling unauthorized access to these routes via manipulated API path traversal.

Remediation

Users can upgrade to OpenClaw gateway plugin version 2026.2.26 or later to address this vulnerability.