fix(browser): unblock managed loopback CDP startup and control (#66043)

Merged via squash.

Prepared head SHA: c3d0a99ffa
Reviewed-by: @mbelinky

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - WhatsApp: patch installed Baileys media encryption writes during OpenClaw postinstall so the default npm/install.sh delivery path waits for encrypted media files to finish flushing before readback, avoiding transient `ENOENT` crashes on image sends. (#65896) Thanks @frankekn.
 - Gateway/update: unify service entrypoint resolution around the canonical bundled gateway entrypoint so update, reinstall, and doctor repair stop drifting between stale `dist/entry.js` and current `dist/index.js` paths. (#65984) Thanks @mbelinky.
 - Heartbeat/Telegram topics: keep isolated heartbeat replies on the bound forum topic when `target=last`, instead of dropping them into the group root chat. (#66035) Thanks @mbelinky.
-
+- Browser/CDP: let managed local Chrome readiness, status probes, and managed loopback CDP control bypass browser SSRF policy for their own loopback control plane, so OpenClaw no longer misclassifies a healthy child browser as "not reachable after start". (#65695, #66043) Thanks @mbelinky.
 ## 2026.4.12
 
 ### Changes

extensions/browser/src/browser/cdp-reachability-policy.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import type { SsrFPolicy } from "../infra/net/ssrf.js";
+import type { ResolvedBrowserProfile } from "./config.js";
+import { getBrowserProfileCapabilities } from "./profile-capabilities.js";
+
+export function resolveCdpReachabilityPolicy(
+  profile: ResolvedBrowserProfile,
+  ssrfPolicy?: SsrFPolicy,
+): SsrFPolicy | undefined {
+  const capabilities = getBrowserProfileCapabilities(profile);
+  if (
+    capabilities.mode === "local-managed" &&
+    profile.cdpIsLoopback &&
+    !profile.attachOnly &&
+    profile.driver === "openclaw"
+  ) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return ssrfPolicy;
+}
+
+export const resolveCdpControlPolicy = resolveCdpReachabilityPolicy;

extensions/browser/src/browser/navigation-guard.ts

@@ -46,6 +46,21 @@ export function requiresInspectableBrowserNavigationRedirects(ssrfPolicy?: SsrFP
   return !isPrivateNetworkAllowedByPolicy(ssrfPolicy);
 }
 
+export function requiresInspectableBrowserNavigationRedirectsForUrl(
+  url: string,
+  ssrfPolicy?: SsrFPolicy,
+): boolean {
+  if (!requiresInspectableBrowserNavigationRedirects(ssrfPolicy)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  try {
+    const parsed = new URL(url);
+    return NETWORK_NAVIGATION_PROTOCOLS.has(parsed.protocol);
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 function isIpLiteralHostname(hostname: string): boolean {
   return isIP(normalizeHostname(hostname)) !== 0;
 }

extensions/browser/src/browser/server-context.availability.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import fs from "node:fs";
+import { resolveCdpReachabilityPolicy } from "./cdp-reachability-policy.js";
 import {
   CHROME_MCP_ATTACH_READY_POLL_MS,
   CHROME_MCP_ATTACH_READY_WINDOW_MS,
@@ -67,6 +68,9 @@ export function createProfileAvailability({
       remoteHandshakeTimeoutMs: state().resolved.remoteCdpHandshakeTimeoutMs,
     });
 
+  const getCdpReachabilityPolicy = () =>
+    resolveCdpReachabilityPolicy(profile, state().resolved.ssrfPolicy);
+
   const isReachable = async (timeoutMs?: number) => {
     if (capabilities.usesChromeMcp) {
       // listChromeMcpTabs creates the session if needed — no separate ensureChromeMcpAvailable call required
@@ -78,7 +82,7 @@ export function createProfileAvailability({
       profile.cdpUrl,
       httpTimeoutMs,
       wsTimeoutMs,
-      state().resolved.ssrfPolicy,
+      getCdpReachabilityPolicy(),
     );
   };
 
@@ -87,7 +91,7 @@ export function createProfileAvailability({
       return await isReachable(timeoutMs);
     }
     const { httpTimeoutMs } = resolveTimeouts(timeoutMs);
-    return await isChromeReachable(profile.cdpUrl, httpTimeoutMs, state().resolved.ssrfPolicy);
+    return await isChromeReachable(profile.cdpUrl, httpTimeoutMs, getCdpReachabilityPolicy());
   };
 
   const attachRunning = (running: NonNullable<ProfileRuntimeState["running"]>) => {

extensions/browser/src/browser/server-context.ensure-browser-available.waits-for-cdp-ready.test.ts

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function setupEnsureBrowserAvailableHarness() {
   const ctx = createBrowserRouteContext({ getState: () => state });
   const profile = ctx.forProfile("openclaw");
 
-  return { launchOpenClawChrome, stopOpenClawChrome, isChromeCdpReady, profile };
+  return { launchOpenClawChrome, stopOpenClawChrome, isChromeCdpReady, profile, state };
 }
 
 afterEach(() => {
@@ -62,9 +62,10 @@ describe("browser server-context ensureBrowserAvailable", () => {
   });
 
   it("reuses a pre-existing loopback browser after an initial short probe miss", async () => {
-    const { launchOpenClawChrome, stopOpenClawChrome, isChromeCdpReady, profile } =
+    const { launchOpenClawChrome, stopOpenClawChrome, isChromeCdpReady, profile, state } =
       setupEnsureBrowserAvailableHarness();
     const isChromeReachable = vi.mocked(chromeModule.isChromeReachable);
+    state.resolved.ssrfPolicy = {};
 
     isChromeReachable.mockResolvedValueOnce(false).mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
     isChromeCdpReady.mockResolvedValueOnce(true);
@@ -75,17 +76,13 @@ describe("browser server-context ensureBrowserAvailable", () => {
       1,
       "http://127.0.0.1:18800",
       PROFILE_HTTP_REACHABILITY_TIMEOUT_MS,
-      {
-        allowPrivateNetwork: true,
-      },
+      undefined,
     );
     expect(isChromeReachable).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
       2,
       "http://127.0.0.1:18800",
       PROFILE_ATTACH_RETRY_TIMEOUT_MS,
-      {
-        allowPrivateNetwork: true,
-      },
+      undefined,
     );
     expect(launchOpenClawChrome).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(stopOpenClawChrome).not.toHaveBeenCalled();

extensions/browser/src/browser/server-context.list-profiles.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import "./server-context.chrome-test-harness.js";
+import * as chromeModule from "./chrome.js";
+import { createBrowserRouteContext } from "./server-context.js";
+import { makeBrowserServerState } from "./server-context.test-harness.js";
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+  vi.restoreAllMocks();
+});
+
+describe("browser server-context listProfiles", () => {
+  it("bypasses SSRF gating when probing managed loopback profiles", async () => {
+    const state = makeBrowserServerState({
+      resolvedOverrides: {
+        ssrfPolicy: {},
+      },
+    });
+    const isChromeReachable = vi.mocked(chromeModule.isChromeReachable);
+    isChromeReachable.mockResolvedValue(true);
+
+    const ctx = createBrowserRouteContext({ getState: () => state });
+    const profiles = await ctx.listProfiles();
+
+    expect(isChromeReachable).toHaveBeenCalledWith("http://127.0.0.1:18800", 200, undefined);
+    expect(profiles).toEqual([
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        name: "openclaw",
+        running: true,
+      }),
+    ]);
+  });
+});

extensions/browser/src/browser/server-context.loopback-direct-ws.test.ts

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ afterEach(() => {
 });
 
 describe("browser server-context loopback direct WebSocket profiles", () => {
-  it("uses an HTTP /json/list base when opening tabs", async () => {
+  it("uses an HTTP /json/list base when opening about:blank under strict SSRF", async () => {
     const createTargetViaCdp = vi
       .spyOn(cdpModule, "createTargetViaCdp")
       .mockResolvedValue({ targetId: "CREATED" });
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ describe("browser server-context loopback direct WebSocket profiles", () => {
           {
             id: "CREATED",
             title: "New Tab",
-            url: "http://127.0.0.1:8080",
+            url: "about:blank",
             webSocketDebuggerUrl: "ws://127.0.0.1/devtools/page/CREATED",
             type: "page",
           },
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ describe("browser server-context loopback direct WebSocket profiles", () => {
 
     global.fetch = withFetchPreconnect(fetchMock);
     const state = makeState("openclaw");
+    state.resolved.ssrfPolicy = {};
     state.resolved.profiles.openclaw = {
       cdpUrl: "ws://127.0.0.1:18800/devtools/browser/SESSION?token=abc",
       color: "#FF4500",
@@ -42,16 +43,16 @@ describe("browser server-context loopback direct WebSocket profiles", () => {
     const ctx = createBrowserRouteContext({ getState: () => state });
     const openclaw = ctx.forProfile("openclaw");
 
-    const opened = await openclaw.openTab("http://127.0.0.1:8080");
+    const opened = await openclaw.openTab("about:blank");
     expect(opened.targetId).toBe("CREATED");
     expect(createTargetViaCdp).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       cdpUrl: "ws://127.0.0.1:18800/devtools/browser/SESSION?token=abc",
-      url: "http://127.0.0.1:8080",
-      ssrfPolicy: { allowPrivateNetwork: true },
+      url: "about:blank",
+      ssrfPolicy: undefined,
     });
   });
 
-  it("uses an HTTP /json base for focus and close", async () => {
+  it("uses an HTTP /json base for focus and close under strict SSRF", async () => {
     const fetchMock = vi.fn(async (url: unknown) => {
       const u = String(url);
       if (u === "http://127.0.0.1:18800/json/list?token=abc") {
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ describe("browser server-context loopback direct WebSocket profiles", () => {
 
     global.fetch = withFetchPreconnect(fetchMock);
     const state = makeState("openclaw");
+    state.resolved.ssrfPolicy = {};
     state.resolved.profiles.openclaw = {
       cdpUrl: "ws://127.0.0.1:18800/devtools/browser/SESSION?token=abc",
       color: "#FF4500",

extensions/browser/src/browser/server-context.selection.ts

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import { resolveTargetIdFromTabs } from "./target-id.js";
 type SelectionDeps = {
   profile: ResolvedBrowserProfile;
   getProfileState: () => ProfileRuntimeState;
-  getSsrFPolicy: () => SsrFPolicy | undefined;
+  getCdpControlPolicy: () => SsrFPolicy | undefined;
   ensureBrowserAvailable: () => Promise<void>;
   listTabs: () => Promise<BrowserTab[]>;
   openTab: (url: string) => Promise<BrowserTab>;
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ type SelectionOps = {
 export function createProfileSelectionOps({
   profile,
   getProfileState,
-  getSsrFPolicy,
+  getCdpControlPolicy,
   ensureBrowserAvailable,
   listTabs,
   openTab,
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ export function createProfileSelectionOps({
         await focusPageByTargetIdViaPlaywright({
           cdpUrl: profile.cdpUrl,
           targetId: resolvedTargetId,
-          ssrfPolicy: getSsrFPolicy(),
+          ssrfPolicy: getCdpControlPolicy(),
         });
         const profileState = getProfileState();
         profileState.lastTargetId = resolvedTargetId;
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ export function createProfileSelectionOps({
       appendCdpPath(cdpHttpBase, `/json/activate/${resolvedTargetId}`),
       undefined,
       undefined,
-      getSsrFPolicy(),
+      getCdpControlPolicy(),
     );
     const profileState = getProfileState();
     profileState.lastTargetId = resolvedTargetId;
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ export function createProfileSelectionOps({
         await closePageByTargetIdViaPlaywright({
           cdpUrl: profile.cdpUrl,
           targetId: resolvedTargetId,
-          ssrfPolicy: getSsrFPolicy(),
+          ssrfPolicy: getCdpControlPolicy(),
         });
         return;
       }
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ export function createProfileSelectionOps({
       appendCdpPath(cdpHttpBase, `/json/close/${resolvedTargetId}`),
       undefined,
       undefined,
-      getSsrFPolicy(),
+      getCdpControlPolicy(),
     );
   };
 

extensions/browser/src/browser/server-context.tab-ops.ts

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { resolveCdpControlPolicy } from "./cdp-reachability-policy.js";
 import { CDP_JSON_NEW_TIMEOUT_MS } from "./cdp-timeouts.js";
 import {
   assertCdpEndpointAllowed,
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ import {
   assertBrowserNavigationAllowed,
   assertBrowserNavigationResultAllowed,
   InvalidBrowserNavigationUrlError,
-  requiresInspectableBrowserNavigationRedirects,
+  requiresInspectableBrowserNavigationRedirectsForUrl,
   withBrowserNavigationPolicy,
 } from "./navigation-guard.js";
 import { getBrowserProfileCapabilities } from "./profile-capabilities.js";
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ export function createProfileTabOps({
 }: TabOpsDeps): ProfileTabOps {
   const cdpHttpBase = normalizeCdpHttpBaseForJsonEndpoints(profile.cdpUrl);
   const capabilities = getBrowserProfileCapabilities(profile);
-  const getSsrFPolicy = () => state().resolved.ssrfPolicy;
+  const getCdpControlPolicy = () => resolveCdpControlPolicy(profile, state().resolved.ssrfPolicy);
 
   const listTabs = async (): Promise<BrowserTab[]> => {
     if (capabilities.usesChromeMcp) {
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ export function createProfileTabOps({
       const mod = await getPwAiModule({ mode: "strict" });
       const listPagesViaPlaywright = (mod as Partial<PwAiModule> | null)?.listPagesViaPlaywright;
       if (typeof listPagesViaPlaywright === "function") {
-        const ssrfPolicy = getSsrFPolicy();
+        const ssrfPolicy = getCdpControlPolicy();
         await assertCdpEndpointAllowed(profile.cdpUrl, ssrfPolicy);
         const pages = await listPagesViaPlaywright({ cdpUrl: profile.cdpUrl, ssrfPolicy });
         return pages.map((p) => ({
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ export function createProfileTabOps({
         webSocketDebuggerUrl?: string;
         type?: string;
       }>
-    >(appendCdpPath(cdpHttpBase, "/json/list"), undefined, undefined, getSsrFPolicy());
+    >(appendCdpPath(cdpHttpBase, "/json/list"), undefined, undefined, getCdpControlPolicy());
     return raw
       .map((t) => ({
         targetId: t.id ?? "",
@@ -136,7 +137,7 @@ export function createProfileTabOps({
         appendCdpPath(cdpHttpBase, `/json/close/${tab.targetId}`),
         undefined,
         undefined,
-        getSsrFPolicy(),
+        getCdpControlPolicy(),
       ).catch(() => {
         // best-effort cleanup only
       });
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ export function createProfileTabOps({
       }
     }
 
-    if (requiresInspectableBrowserNavigationRedirects(state().resolved.ssrfPolicy)) {
+    if (requiresInspectableBrowserNavigationRedirectsForUrl(url, state().resolved.ssrfPolicy)) {
       throw new InvalidBrowserNavigationUrlError(
         "Navigation blocked: strict browser SSRF policy requires Playwright-backed redirect-hop inspection",
       );
@@ -191,7 +192,7 @@ export function createProfileTabOps({
     const createdViaCdp = await createTargetViaCdp({
       cdpUrl: profile.cdpUrl,
       url,
-      ...ssrfPolicyOpts,
+      ssrfPolicy: getCdpControlPolicy(),
     })
       .then((r) => r.targetId)
       .catch(() => null);

extensions/browser/src/browser/server-context.tab-selection-state.test.ts

@@ -125,7 +125,51 @@ describe("browser server-context tab selection state", () => {
     expect(createTargetViaCdp).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       cdpUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:18800",
       url: "http://127.0.0.1:8080",
-      ssrfPolicy: { allowPrivateNetwork: true },
+      ssrfPolicy: undefined,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("can bootstrap a managed loopback tab under strict SSRF because CDP control stays local", async () => {
+    const createTargetViaCdp = vi
+      .spyOn(cdpModule, "createTargetViaCdp")
+      .mockResolvedValue({ targetId: "CREATED" });
+
+    let listCount = 0;
+    const fetchMock = vi.fn(async (url: unknown) => {
+      const u = String(url);
+      if (!u.includes("/json/list")) {
+        throw new Error(`unexpected fetch: ${u}`);
+      }
+      listCount += 1;
+      return {
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () =>
+          listCount === 1
+            ? []
+            : [
+                {
+                  id: "CREATED",
+                  title: "New Tab",
+                  url: "about:blank",
+                  webSocketDebuggerUrl: "ws://127.0.0.1/devtools/page/CREATED",
+                  type: "page",
+                },
+              ],
+      } as unknown as Response;
+    });
+
+    global.fetch = withFetchPreconnect(fetchMock);
+    const state = makeState("openclaw");
+    state.resolved.ssrfPolicy = {};
+    const ctx = createBrowserRouteContext({ getState: () => state });
+    const openclaw = ctx.forProfile("openclaw");
+
+    const selected = await openclaw.ensureTabAvailable();
+    expect(selected.targetId).toBe("CREATED");
+    expect(createTargetViaCdp).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      cdpUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:18800",
+      url: "about:blank",
+      ssrfPolicy: undefined,
     });
   });
 

extensions/browser/src/browser/server-context.ts

@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+import {
+  resolveCdpControlPolicy,
+  resolveCdpReachabilityPolicy,
+} from "./cdp-reachability-policy.js";
 import { isChromeReachable, resolveOpenClawUserDataDir } from "./chrome.js";
 import type { ResolvedBrowserProfile } from "./config.js";
 import { resolveProfile } from "./config.js";
@@ -86,7 +90,7 @@ function createProfileContext(
   const { ensureTabAvailable, focusTab, closeTab } = createProfileSelectionOps({
     profile,
     getProfileState,
-    getSsrFPolicy: () => state().resolved.ssrfPolicy,
+    getCdpControlPolicy: () => resolveCdpControlPolicy(profile, state().resolved.ssrfPolicy),
     ensureBrowserAvailable,
     listTabs,
     openTab,
@@ -189,7 +193,7 @@ export function createBrowserRouteContext(opts: ContextOptions): BrowserRouteCon
           const reachable = await isChromeReachable(
             profile.cdpUrl,
             200,
-            current.resolved.ssrfPolicy,
+            resolveCdpReachabilityPolicy(profile, current.resolved.ssrfPolicy),
           );
           if (reachable) {
             running = true;