Executive brief
OpenClaw, a package used for managing node actions, contains a flaw where security policies are not re-checked when queued tasks are eventually executed. This means that if an administrator tightens security rules to block certain actions, any tasks already waiting in the queue could still run despite the new restrictions. This could lead to unauthorized system modifications or the execution of restricted commands.
Technical details
OpenClaw (npm) is vulnerable to a Time-of-Check Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition and incorrect authorization in its node action queuing mechanism. Specifically, in versions prior to 2026.3.22, actions queued for nodes were only validated against the command policy at the time of queuing. If the policy was subsequently tightened (e.g., removing a command from an allowlist), the queued action would still execute upon delivery without re-validation. An attacker with the ability to queue actions could exploit this window to execute commands that should be prohibited by the current policy. The fix, implemented in src/gateway/server-methods/nodes.ts, ensures that queued actions are revalidated against the current allowlist and declared command set at the time of delivery.
Affected products
- OpenClaw openclaw < 2026.3.22
Timeline
- 2026-03-24: disclosed: Advisory published by maintainers
- 2026-03-22: patched: Fix released in version 2026.3.22
- 2026-03-26: advisory: GitHub Advisory GHSA-wj55-88gf-x564 published