GHSA-MWCG-WFQ3-4GJC

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-03-03 19:18 – Updated: 2026-03-30 13:34
VLAI?
Summary
OpenClaw's system.run approval TOCTOU via mutable symlink cwd target on node host
Details

Summary

In openclaw@2026.2.24, approval-bound system.run on node hosts could be influenced by mutable symlink cwd targets between approval and execution.

Details

Approval matching on the gateway validated command/argv and binding fields, including cwd, as provided text. Node execution later used runtime cwd resolution. A symlinked cwd could therefore be retargeted after approval and before spawn.

OpenClaw's trust model does not treat one shared gateway as a multi-tenant adversarial boundary, but approval integrity is still a security boundary for operator-reviewed command execution.

Affected Packages / Versions

  • Package: openclaw (npm)
  • Affected: <= 2026.2.24
  • Patched: >= 2026.2.25

Fix Commit(s)

  • f789f880c934caa8be25b38832f27f90f37903db

Remediation

The fix adds defense-in-depth hardening for approval-bound node execution: - reject symlink cwd paths for approval-bound system.run - canonicalize path-like executable argv before spawn - bind CLI approval requests to exact commandArgv

Release Process Note

Patched version is pre-set to the release (2026.2.25). Advisory published with npm release 2026.2.25.

OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

Severity ?
5.9 (Medium)
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "database_specific": {
        "last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c= 2026.2.24"
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "npm",
        "name": "openclaw"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "2026.2.25"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-32043"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-367",
      "CWE-59"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-03-03T19:18:06Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "### Summary\nIn `openclaw@2026.2.24`, approval-bound `system.run` on node hosts could be influenced by mutable symlink `cwd` targets between approval and execution.\n\n### Details\nApproval matching on the gateway validated command/argv and binding fields, including `cwd`, as provided text. Node execution later used runtime `cwd` resolution. A symlinked `cwd` could therefore be retargeted after approval and before spawn.\n\nOpenClaw\u0027s trust model does not treat one shared gateway as a multi-tenant adversarial boundary, but approval integrity is still a security boundary for operator-reviewed command execution.\n\n### Affected Packages / Versions\n- Package: `openclaw` (npm)\n- Affected: `\u003c= 2026.2.24`\n- Patched: `\u003e= 2026.2.25` \n\n### Fix Commit(s)\n- `f789f880c934caa8be25b38832f27f90f37903db`\n\n### Remediation\nThe fix adds defense-in-depth hardening for approval-bound node execution:\n- reject symlink `cwd` paths for approval-bound `system.run`\n- canonicalize path-like executable argv before spawn\n- bind CLI approval requests to exact `commandArgv`\n\n### Release Process Note\nPatched version is pre-set to the release (`2026.2.25`). Advisory published with npm release `2026.2.25`.\n\nOpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.",
  "id": "GHSA-mwcg-wfq3-4gjc",
  "modified": "2026-03-30T13:34:50Z",
  "published": "2026-03-03T19:18:06Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-mwcg-wfq3-4gjc"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32043"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/f789f880c934caa8be25b38832f27f90f37903db"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-time-of-check-time-of-use-via-mutable-symlink-in-system-run-cwd-parameter"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "OpenClaw\u0027s system.run approval TOCTOU via mutable symlink cwd target on node host"
}


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