Is CVE-2026-53853 exploited in the wild?

No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53853 being exploited in the wild.

How severe is CVE-2026-53853?

High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.3, published 16 June 2026.

Which products and versions are affected?

openclaw (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=2026.5.12; Openclaw < 2026.5.12.

Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53853?

Yes. openclaw (npm): upgrade to 2026.5.12 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

How is CVE-2026-53853 attacked?

It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

Am I affected by CVE-2026-53853?

Check whether you run openclaw (npm) or Openclaw 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.

CVE-2026-53853: OpenClaw argument pattern validation bypass in exec allowlist

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53853?

Yes. openclaw (npm): upgrade to 2026.5.12 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

Q: How is CVE-2026-53853 attacked?

It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

Q: Am I affected by CVE-2026-53853?

Check whether you run openclaw (npm) or Openclaw 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.

CVE-2026-53853 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.3 · Published 2026-06-16

OpenClaw is a tool used to manage and execute commands on remote systems. A security flaw in the Linux and macOS versions allows users to bypass restrictions on what specific commands or arguments can be run. This could allow an attacker to execute unauthorized commands, potentially leading to data theft or full system compromise.

Technologies: openclaw (npm), Openclaw. Vendors: npm, Openclaw.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-53853 exploited in the wild?: No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53853 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-53853?: High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.3, published 16 June 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?: openclaw (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=2026.5.12; Openclaw < 2026.5.12.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53853?: Yes. openclaw (npm): upgrade to 2026.5.12 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2026-53853 attacked?: It is attacked over the network, in a software library.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-53853?: Check whether you run openclaw (npm) or Openclaw 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.

How to fix

openclaw (npm): upgrade to 2026.5.12 or later
```
npm install openclaw@2026.5.12
```

Technical details

OpenClaw gateways on Linux and macOS fail to validate the 'argPattern' field within the 'exec' allowlist configuration. While the system correctly checks the executable path, it skips the secondary check intended to restrict which arguments are passed to that executable. An attacker with the ability to influence tool-enabled agents can exploit this to run disallowed arguments for sensitive binaries like git, python, or bash. This bypasses the intended security guardrails that should require an approval prompt for non-matching argument patterns. The issue is addressed in version 2026.5.12.

Affected products

OpenClaw openclaw < 2026.5.12

Identifiers

CVE-2026-53853
GHSA-v2ww-5rh7-2h5v

Timeline

2026-05-28: disclosed
2026-06-18: advisory
2026-05-12: patched: First stable patched version released

References

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