OpenClaw 3.11 Upgrade: Patch Critical WebSocket Hijack – 3 Methods & 4 Checks

1. Security Update: Cross‑Site WebSocket Hijack

The v2026.3.11 release (published March 12, 2026) fixes a critical security flaw identified as GHSA‑5wcw‑8jjv‑m286, which allows unauthorized browsers to obtain operator.admin privileges in trusted-proxy mode. The official severity rating is five stars.

Vulnerability Principle

The issue stems from insufficient origin verification of the Gateway/WebSocket connection when trusted‑proxy mode trusts proxy headers too broadly, enabling an attacker to bypass validation and gain admin rights. The fix forces origin verification for all browser‑initiated connections, regardless of proxy headers.

Impact Scope

Deployments using trusted‑proxy mode – ✅ affected

Deployments exposing the Gateway directly to the internet – ✅ affected

Local/intranet‑only deployments without a proxy – ⚠️ recommended to upgrade

Reverse‑proxy deployments without trusted‑header configuration – ⚠️ recommended to upgrade

The GitHub release page shows 185 reactions, indicating strong community attention.

2. New Feature Highlights

iOS App Improvements

New welcome screen shows real‑time proxy status.

Fixed bottom toolbar replaces floating controls for better small‑screen usability.

TestFlight beta now supports local Fastlane builds and resolves watch‑app archive issues.

Ollama First‑Time Setup Wizard

A visual wizard replaces manual config file edits, supporting two modes:

Local mode : uses only a locally running Ollama instance.

Cloud + local mode : combines cloud models with local instances, auto‑skipping unnecessary pulls.

Memory Multimodal Indexing

Memory now supports image and audio indexing via the gemini‑embedding‑2‑preview model. Example configuration:

{
  "memorySearch": {
    "extraPaths": [
      {"path": "/path/to/images", "extensions": ["jpg","png","jpeg"]},
      {"path": "/path/to/audio", "extensions": ["mp3","wav","m4a"]}
    ]
  }
}

OpenCode Go Provider

OpenCode now includes a Go language provider, allowing direct calls from Go applications.

ACP Session Recovery

Agent Communication Protocol (ACP) sessions can now be resumed, preserving context after interruptions.

Other Improvements

Discord auto‑thread archiving.

Git status output cleanup.

Sub‑command environment markers for easier debugging.

3. Upgrade Guide

Three upgrade methods are recommended, ordered by difficulty:

Method 1: Install Script (Recommended)

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Auto‑detects current installation method.

One‑click upgrade, no manual steps.

Runs openclaw doctor automatically to check configuration.

Method 2: Global Installation

# npm users
npm i -g openclaw@latest
# or pnpm users
pnpm add -g openclaw@latest

Uses familiar package manager.

Fast and straightforward.

Method 3: Source‑Code Installation

# Built‑in command
openclaw update
# Manual steps
cd /path/to/openclaw
git pull
pnpm build

Full control over the upgrade process.

Allows previewing code changes.

Selection Advice

New users: Method 1 (simplest).

Familiar with npm: Method 2 (quick).

Developers needing control: Method 3.

4. Post‑Upgrade Mandatory Steps

1. Run Doctor

openclaw doctor

Checks configuration migration, policy sanity, and system health.

2. Restart Gateway

openclaw gateway restart

Applies all updates and configuration changes.

3. Verify Health

openclaw health

Look for a healthy status or similar success indicator.

5. Pre‑Upgrade Preparation

Backup configuration files and policies.

Record the current version with openclaw --version.

Confirm installation method (script/global vs. source) using which openclaw or checking for a .git folder.

6. Troubleshooting

Upgrade‑After Startup Failure

Check logs via openclaw logs or log files.

Run openclaw doctor to spot configuration issues.

Rollback to the previous version if a backup exists.

Rollback Options

Global install: npm i -g [email protected] Source install:

git checkout v3.10.x && pnpm build

Configuration Incompatibility

Review migration logs to see changed settings.

Consult the update documentation for configuration changes.

Manually adjust the config file to meet new requirements.

Performance Degradation

Check system resource usage with openclaw status.

Inspect slow‑query logs.

Consider tuning concurrency or resource allocations.

7. Best Practices

Test upgrades in a staging environment before production.

Maintain a regular update cadence to receive security fixes promptly.

Keep configurations simple to reduce compatibility issues.

Monitor system health closely after upgrading.

Conclusion

OpenClaw 3.11 is a critical security update that patches a high‑risk cross‑site WebSocket hijack vulnerability. Users of trusted‑proxy mode or those exposing services externally should upgrade immediately. The upgrade can be performed via a one‑click script, a global package manager, or source‑code compilation, followed by running openclaw doctor, restarting the Gateway, and verifying health status.