CVE-2026-22168 — openclaw
Fix: openclaw/openclaw@6007941CVE-2026-22168 is a CWE-88 vulnerability in openclaw. A fix is available for openclaw — see the affected versions and patch details below.
OpenClaw < 2026.2.21 - Command Injection via cmd.exe /c Trailing Arguments in system.run
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2026-22168.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
openclawnpmDescription
Summary
A Windows system.run approval-integrity mismatch in the cmd.exe /c path could allow trailing arguments to execute while approval/audit text reflected only a benign command string.
This requires an authenticated operator context using the approvals flow and a trusted Windows node.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Latest published vulnerable version (as of 2026-02-21):
2026.2.19-2 - Vulnerable range:
<=2026.2.19-2 - Patched version (planned next release):
2026.2.21
Attack Scenario
- An authenticated operator approval is created for a benign command text (for example,
echo). - A
system.runrequest usescmd.exe /cwith extra trailing arguments. - Prior behavior could bind approval/audit text to the benign command while still executing the full argument tail on the node.
Impact
- Local command execution on the trusted Windows node process account.
- Approval/audit command text integrity mismatch.
Fix
- Canonicalize the full command tail after
cmd.exe /c. - Reuse one shared command canonicalization/validation path for validation, approval matching, and execution/audit text.
- Add regression coverage for trailing-argument smuggling and approval binding.
Fix Commit(s)
6007941f04df1edcca679dd6c95949744fdbd4df
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.21). Once that npm release is live, this advisory can be published directly.
OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | openclaw | all versions | 2026.2.21npm install openclaw@2026.2.21 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for openclaw, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update openclaw to 2026.2.21 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-22168 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2026-22168 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2026-22168. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-22168 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2026-22168 across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.