Affected: OpenClaw

OpenClaw before 2026.5.12 contains an argument pattern validation bypass in the exec allowlist that allows attackers to execute disallowed arguments for allowlisted executables on Linux and macOS systems. Attackers can bypass configured argPattern restrictions by directly invoking allowlisted executables with unrestricted arguments, potentially enabling unauthorized file access, network access, or command execution.

Affected: npm: openclaw

### Summary

OpenClaw's exec allowlist supported optional `argPattern` entries to restrict the arguments accepted for an allowlisted executable. In affected releases, Linux and macOS gateways skipped `argPattern` checks and treated a matching executable path as sufficient to satisfy the allowlist.

This meant an operator could configure an allowlist entry that appeared to permit only a narrow argv shape, but OpenClaw would allow other argv for the same executable without an approval prompt when `tools.exec.security` was set to `allowlist`.

This issue is limited to direct enforcement of configured `argPattern` values. OpenClaw's exec approvals remain best-effort guardrails and do not attempt to semantically model every interpreter, loader, package script, shell feature, or transitive file a command may use.

### Affected configurations

This affects OpenClaw gateway deployments that meet all of these conditions:

- the gateway runs on Linux or macOS - exec is configured with `tools.exec.security: "allowlist"` - at least one exec allowlist entry uses `argPattern` - the allowlisted executable accepts security-relevant arguments or flags

Path-only allowlist entries are not additionally affected by this issue, because those entries intentionally allow any arguments for the matched executable. Windows was not affected by this specific bug because the affected code path already applied `argPattern` checks on Windows.

### Impact

If an untrusted or lower-trust sender can influenc…