Executive brief
OpenClaw is an npm package used to manage plugin installation with built-in security scanning. The vulnerability is a fail-open condition: if the security scan fails or encounters an error, the installation process still proceeds without blocking the untrusted plugin from being installed. While the scan failure is visible to the operator, this design flaw allows installation of potentially malicious plugins when security checks cannot complete, increasing the risk of unauthorized code execution.
Technical details
The vulnerability is a fail-open error handling flaw (CWE-636, CWE-754) in the plugin installation workflow. When the security scan function encounters an error or exception during package validation, the error is not properly handled to block installation; instead, the installation flow continues unconditionally. This requires active operator involvement (choosing to install an untrusted package) and the scan failure is visible rather than silent, which limits severity. The issue affects versions up to and including 2026.3.28, with fixes available in version 2026.3.31 and later via multiple commits addressing error handling in the installation pathway.
Affected products
- OpenClaw openclaw <=2026.3.28
Timeline
- 2026-03-31: disclosed: Advisory published; vulnerability reported by davidluzsilva
- 2026-03-31: patched: Multiple fix commits merged; patch released in version 2026.3.31