Is CVE-2026-53861 exploited in the wild?

No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53861 being exploited in the wild.

How severe is CVE-2026-53861?

Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.6, published 16 June 2026.

Which products and versions are affected?

openclaw (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=2026.5.6; Openclaw < 2026.5.6, <= 2026.5.5.

Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53861?

Yes. openclaw (npm): upgrade to 2026.5.6 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

How is CVE-2026-53861 attacked?

It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

Am I affected by CVE-2026-53861?

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-2026-53861: OpenClaw allowlist bypass in macOS Swift exec feature

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53861?

Yes. openclaw (npm): upgrade to 2026.5.6 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

Q: How is CVE-2026-53861 attacked?

It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

Q: Am I affected by CVE-2026-53861?

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-2026-53861 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.6 · Published 2026-06-16

OpenClaw is a tool used for managing command execution and gateway operations. A security flaw on macOS allows certain commands to bypass the safety allowlist by using specific combined command flags. This could allow an attacker to run unauthorized shell commands, potentially leading to data exposure or unauthorized system changes.

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

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-53861 exploited in the wild?: No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53861 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-53861?: Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.6, published 16 June 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?: openclaw (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=2026.5.6; Openclaw < 2026.5.6, <= 2026.5.5.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53861?: Yes. openclaw (npm): upgrade to 2026.5.6 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2026-53861 attacked?: It is attacked with local access, in a software library.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-53861?: 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 2026.5.6 or later
```
npm install openclaw@2026.5.6
```

Technical details

A vulnerability exists in OpenClaw's macOS Swift execution allowlist due to incomplete input validation (CWE-184). The allowlist logic fails to account for combined POSIX inline-command flags, which can be used to hide or misrepresent command content during the validation process. An attacker with local access and low privileges can exploit this by crafting command requests that use these combined flags to bypass allowlist checks. This allows for the execution of arbitrary shell content outside of the intended security policy. The issue is fixed in version 2026.5.6.

Affected products

openclaw openclaw <= 2026.5.5

Identifiers

CVE-2026-53861
GHSA-c226-q6fx-6j6c

Timeline

2026-05-28: disclosed
2026-06-18: advisory
2026-06-18: patched: Version 2026.5.6 released

References

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