# CVE-2026-56402: nanocoai NanoClaw privilege escalation in handleApprovalsResponse

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-56402-nanocoai-nanoclaw-privilege-escalation-in-handleapprovalsresponse  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-06-23. Updated: 2026-06-23  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-56402 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-06-23

NanoClaw, an automation and agent management tool, contains a security flaw in how it handles administrative approvals. An attacker with low-level access can bypass security prompts to authorize restricted actions, such as installing unauthorized software packages or modifying system settings. This allows unauthorized users to perform high-privilege tasks that should be reserved for administrators, potentially compromising the integrity of the managed environment.

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-56402 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-56402 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-56402?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 23 June 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** nanocoai NanoClaw < 2.1.17.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-56402?** A patch was published on 2026-06-09: Fix merged into main branch Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-56402 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-56402?** Check whether anything you run is named in the advisory. 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

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in NanoClaw's `handleApprovalsResponse` function due to missing authorization checks (CWE-862). The system previously validated approval requests based solely on the possession of a valid `questionId` rather than verifying the responder's identity and role. An authenticated attacker with network access can submit a crafted approval response payload to authorize or reject privileged actions, such as package installations or system modifications, without possessing administrator or owner privileges. The vulnerability was addressed in version 2.1.17 by implementing server-side role validation using `isAuthorizedApprovalClick` and normalizing responder identities before processing approval decisions.

## Affected products

- nanocoai NanoClaw < 2.1.17

## Timeline

- 2026-05-15: disclosed: Initial pull request submitted by researcher
- 2026-06-09: patched: Fix merged into main branch
- 2026-06-23: advisory: CVE published and NVD record created

## References

- [https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw/commit/6227bd1a5b016fb1eb76411bb6681b4c924a51a0](https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw/commit/6227bd1a5b016fb1eb76411bb6681b4c924a51a0)
- [https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw/pull/2478](https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw/pull/2478)
- [https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nanoclaw-privilege-escalation-via-unverified-approval-response-handler](https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nanoclaw-privilege-escalation-via-unverified-approval-response-handler)