Executive brief
OpenClaw, a tool used for managing and executing commands on remote systems, contains a security flaw in how it validates approved commands on Linux-based systems. An authorized user with low-level access could bypass security restrictions to run unauthorized commands or read sensitive configuration files. This could lead to the exposure of private system data or unauthorized modification of local files.
Technical details
A policy enforcement vulnerability exists in OpenClaw's 'system.run' safe-bin allowlist validation on POSIX nodes. The root cause is a failure to properly neutralize shell metacharacters before command execution, allowing shell expansion to occur after the command has passed allowlist validation (a Time-of-check Time-of-use or TOCTOU issue). An authenticated operator can use shell expansion to inject additional arguments into approved commands. This allows the attacker to read unintended node-local files or modify command interpretation, potentially exposing sensitive configuration data. The vulnerability is patched in version 2026.5.18.
Affected products
- OpenClaw OpenClaw < 2026.5.18
Timeline
- 2026-05-28: advisory: GitHub Security Advisory published
- 2026-06-12: disclosed: CVE published to NVD