In r/cybersecurity, OpenClaw is criticized after an actively exploited bug lets low permission users self approve to admin, reinforcing the community norm to avoid running immature prototype software near real assets.
If you're running OpenClaw, you probably got hacked in the last week CVE-2026-33579 is actively exploitable and hits hard.
The /pair approve command doesn't check who is approving. So someone with basic pairing access (the lowest permission tier) can approve themselves for admin.
OpenClaw feels like some snake oil - and I only say that because I don’t want to label it malicious off rip, but if the premise of what OpenClaw is doesn’t tell you all you need to know.. this thing has been nothing but security issue after security issue.
The /pair approve command doesn't check who is approving.
So someone with basic pairing access (the lowest permission tier) can approve themselves for admin. That's it. Full instance takeover, no secondary exploit needed.
So someone with basic pairing access (the lowest permission tier) can approve themselves for admin.
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