# CVE-2026-28480: OpenClaw Telegram allowlist authentication bypass via mutable usernames

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-28480-openclaw-telegram-allowlist-authentication-bypass-via-mutable  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-02-18. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-28480 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2026-02-18

OpenClaw is a Telegram bot authorization framework used to control who can interact with bots via allowlists. The vulnerability allows attackers to bypass identity controls by exploiting the fact that Telegram usernames are mutable and recyclable—when a user changes their username or abandons it, another user can claim it, gaining unauthorized access to the bot if an allowlist was based on the old username rather than the immutable numeric ID.

Technologies: [clawdbot (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/clawdbot), [Openclaw](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/openclaw). Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm), [Openclaw](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/openclaw).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-28480 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-28480 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-28480?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 18 February 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** clawdbot (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,last_affected=2026.1.24-3; Openclaw <=2026.2.13.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-28480?** A patch was published on 2026-02-18: openclaw 2026.2.14 released with fixes Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-28480 attacked?** It is attacked over the network.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-28480?** Check whether you run clawdbot (npm) or Openclaw at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The vulnerability exists in OpenClaw's Telegram allowlist authorization mechanism, which incorrectly accepted mutable @username identifiers (CWE-284: Improper Access Control, CWE-290: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing). The root cause is a logic flaw in how the allowlist matched incoming messages: it matched against @username instead of immutable numeric Telegram sender IDs. An attacker could register a username previously used by an allowlisted user and gain unauthorized access to the bot. The fix requires numeric Telegram IDs only; the patched versions reject @username entries and provide a migration tool (openclaw doctor --fix) to convert legacy configs. Patches are available in openclaw >= 2026.2.14 and clawdbot >= 2026.1.24-4.

## Affected products

- OpenClaw openclaw <=2026.2.13
- OpenClaw clawdbot <=2026.1.24-3

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-28480
- GHSA-mj5r-hh7j-4gxf

## Timeline

- 2026-02-18: disclosed: Advisory GHSA-mj5r-hh7j-4gxf published
- 2026-02-18: patched: openclaw 2026.2.14 released with fixes

## References

- [https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-mj5r-hh7j-4gxf](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-mj5r-hh7j-4gxf)

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