CVE-2026-28456 — openclaw
Fix: openclaw/openclaw@35c0e66CVE-2026-28456 is a CWE-427 vulnerability in openclaw. A fix is available for openclaw — see the affected versions and patch details below.
OpenClaw 2026.1.5 < 2026.2.14 - Arbitrary Code Execution via Unsafe Hook Module Path Handling
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
- 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-2026-28456.
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
OpenClaw Gateway supports hook mappings with optional JavaScript/TypeScript transform modules. In affected versions, the gateway did not sufficiently constrain configured module paths before passing them to dynamic import(). Under some configurations, a user who can modify gateway configuration could cause the gateway process to load and execute an unintended local module.
Impact
Potential code execution in the OpenClaw gateway Node.js process.
This requires access that can modify gateway configuration (for example via the gateway config endpoints). Treat such access as high privilege.
Affected Packages / Versions
- npm package:
openclaw - Affected:
>= 2026.1.5and<= 2026.2.13
Patched Versions
>= 2026.2.14
Fix Commit(s)
a0361b8ba959e8506dc79d638b6e6a00d12887e4(restrict hook transform module loading)35c0e66ed057f1a9f7ad2515fdcef516bd6584ce(harden hooks module loading)
Mitigation
- Upgrade to
2026.2.14or newer. - Avoid exposing gateway configuration endpoints to untrusted networks.
- Review config for unsafe values:
hooks.mappings[].transform.modulehooks.internal.handlers[].module
Thanks @222n5 for reporting.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | openclaw | ≥ 2026.1.5&&< 2026.2.14 | 2026.2.14npm install openclaw@2026.2.14 |
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 2026.2.14 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-28456 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-2026-28456 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2026-28456. 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-2026-28456 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2026-28456 across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.