# CVE-2026-16122: nextlevelbuilder GoClaw authorization bypass in exec approval flow

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16122-nextlevelbuilder-goclaw-authorization-bypass-in-exec-approval  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-18. Updated: 2026-07-18  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-16122 · Severity: medium · CVSS 4.3 · Published 2026-07-18

GoClaw, a platform for deploying AI agent teams, contains a security flaw in how it handles command approvals. When an administrator approves a specific command to run 'always,' the system only remembers the name of the file and not its full location. This allows a user with existing access to trick the system into running a different, potentially malicious file with the same name without needing a second approval, leading to unauthorized command execution on the host server.

Technologies: [Nextlevelbuilder GoClaw](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/goclaw). Vendors: [Nextlevelbuilder](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/nextlevelbuilder).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-16122 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-16122 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-16122?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 4.3, published 18 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Nextlevelbuilder GoClaw up to 3.13.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-16122?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-16122 attacked?** It is attacked from the adjacent network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-16122?** Check whether you run Nextlevelbuilder GoClaw at an affected version. 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

An incorrect authorization vulnerability exists in GoClaw's 'exec' approval flow within `internal/tools/exec_approval.go`. The `extractBin` function uses `filepath.Base` to normalize command paths, storing 'allow-always' decisions based solely on the executable's basename rather than its absolute path or identity. An authenticated attacker with operator-level access can seed the `alwaysAllow` cache by getting a benign pathless command (e.g., `canary-bin`) approved, then execute a malicious binary with the same name from a different directory (e.g., `./canary-bin`). This bypasses the `tools.execApproval.security=allowlist` policy, leading to unauthorized host command execution.

## Affected products

- nextlevelbuilder GoClaw up to 3.13.2

## Timeline

- 2026-07-18: disclosed: Vulnerability details and PoC published via GitHub and VulDB
- 2026-07-18: advisory

## References

- [https://github.com/nextlevelbuilder/goclaw/](https://github.com/nextlevelbuilder/goclaw/)
- [https://github.com/nextlevelbuilder/goclaw/issues/1216](https://github.com/nextlevelbuilder/goclaw/issues/1216)
- [https://github.com/nextlevelbuilder/goclaw/issues/1216](https://github.com/nextlevelbuilder/goclaw/issues/1216)
- [https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-16122](https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-16122)
- [https://vuldb.com/submit/856856](https://vuldb.com/submit/856856)
- [https://vuldb.com/vuln/379831](https://vuldb.com/vuln/379831)
- [https://vuldb.com/vuln/379831/cti](https://vuldb.com/vuln/379831/cti)

## Related threats

- [nextlevelbuilder GoClaw Information Disclosure in jq Handler](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-18038-nextlevelbuilder-goclaw-information-disclosure-in-jq-handler)
- [nextlevelbuilder GoClaw authorization bypass in ExecTool.Execute](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16199-nextlevelbuilder-goclaw-authorization-bypass-in-exectool-execute)
- [nextlevelbuilder GoClaw SSRF in web_fetch component](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16124-nextlevelbuilder-goclaw-ssrf-in-web-fetch-component)
- [nextlevelbuilder GoClaw authorization bypass in ToolsInvokeHandler](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16123-nextlevelbuilder-goclaw-authorization-bypass-in)
- [nextlevelbuilder GoClaw improper authorization in exec tool approval manager](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16121-nextlevelbuilder-goclaw-improper-authorization-in-exec-tool)