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OpenClaw's Node system.run approval hardening wrapper semantic drift can execute unintended local scripts

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Mar 3, 2026 in openclaw/openclaw • Updated Mar 19, 2026

Package

npm openclaw (npm)

Affected versions

= 2026.3.1

Patched versions

2026.3.2

Description

Summary

In openclaw@2026.3.1, node system.run approval-path hardening rewrote wrapper command argv in a way that changed execution semantics. A command shown/approved as a shell payload (for example echo SAFE) could execute a different local script when wrapper argv were rewritten.

Affected Packages / Versions

  • Package: openclaw (npm)
  • Affected: 2026.3.1 (latest published npm version as of March 2, 2026)
  • Fixed release: 2026.3.2 (released)

Technical Details

Root cause was in node-host approval hardening for system.run:

  • src/node-host/invoke-system-run-plan.ts rewrote argv[0] to the resolved executable.
  • Wrapper resolution unwrapped dispatch wrappers, so input like ['env','sh','-c','echo SAFE'] resolved executable sh.
  • The approved plan could become ['/bin/sh','sh','-c','echo SAFE'] while approval text remained echo SAFE.

That rewrite changed runtime behavior: /bin/sh interprets the extra sh positional argument as a script path, enabling execution of a local ./sh file from approved cwd instead of the approved payload text.

Impact

Approval-integrity break in host=node execution flow: operator-visible command text and executed behavior could diverge.

Exploit preconditions:

  • attacker can influence wrapper argv and place a local file in approved working directory,
  • operator grants approval for the displayed command.

Fix Commit(s)

  • dded569626b0d8e7bdab10b5e7528b6caf73a0f1

Fixed Version

  • Patched in openclaw@2026.3.2.

References

@steipete steipete published to openclaw/openclaw Mar 3, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Mar 3, 2026
Reviewed Mar 3, 2026
Last updated Mar 19, 2026

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(5th percentile)

Weaknesses

Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')

The product constructs a string for a command to be executed by a separate component in another control sphere, but it does not properly delimit the intended arguments, options, or switches within that command string. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-29608

GHSA ID

GHSA-h3rm-6x7g-882f

Source code

Credits

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