How severe is CVE-2026-32978?

No CVSS score has been assigned to CVE-2026-32978 yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2026-32978?

CVE-2026-32978 affects the following packages: openclaw (npm). Ecosystems affected: npm.

How do I fix CVE-2026-32978?

Update openclaw to 2026.3.11 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-32978 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2026-32978 in my npm dependencies?

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.

How do I mitigate CVE-2026-32978 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

Put an independent control in front of the weakness: restrict the affected endpoint or interface to trusted networks, require an additional authentication factor or proxy-level check, and invalidate existing sessions and credentials in case the flaw has already been used.

Is CVE-2026-32978 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for CVE-2026-32978 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2026-32978?

CVE-2026-32978 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 0.2%, placing it in the 8th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-32978?

CVE-2026-32978 is classified as CWE-863 (CWE-863). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2026-32978 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2026-32978 was published on March 29, 2026 and was last updated on October 28, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

📦 npm

Not in CISA KEV

CVE-2026-32978 — openclaw

CVE-2026-32978 is a CWE-863 vulnerability in openclaw. A fix is available for openclaw — see the affected versions and patch details below.

OpenClaw < 2026.3.11 - Approval Bypass via Unrecognized Script Runners

Also known asGHSA-qc36-x95h-7j53

Published

Mar 29, 2026

Updated

Oct 28, 2026

Affected

1 pkg

Patched

1 / 1

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Nov 10, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

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-2026-32978.

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

0.2%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs8th percentile — riskier than 8% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

Real-World Exposure

1 pkg affected

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.

133other npm packages depend on this — each one inherits the vulnerability until it's patched upstream

openclawnpm

2.9Mdownloads / week

Description

Summary

In affected versions of openclaw, node-host system.run approvals did not bind a mutable file operand for some script runners, including forms such as tsx and jiti. An attacker could obtain approval for a benign script-runner command, rewrite the referenced script on disk, and have the modified code execute under the already approved run context.

Impact

Deployments that rely on node-host system.run approvals for script integrity could execute rewritten local code after operator approval. This can lead to unintended local code execution as the OpenClaw runtime user.

Affected Packages and Versions

Package: openclaw (npm)
Affected versions: < 2026.3.11
Fixed in: 2026.3.11

Technical Details

The approval planner only tracked mutable script operands for a hardcoded set of interpreters and runtime forms. Commands such as tsx ./run.ts and jiti ./run.ts fell through without a bound file snapshot, so the final pre-execution revalidation step was skipped.

Fix

OpenClaw now fails closed for approval-backed interpreter and runtime commands unless it can bind exactly one concrete local file operand, and it extends direct-file binding coverage for additional runtime forms. The fix shipped in [email protected].

Workarounds

Upgrade to 2026.3.11 or later.

Affected Packages

1 total 1 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
📦npm	`openclaw`	all versions	2026.3.11`npm install openclaw@2026.3.11`

Affected Products

1 product · 1 configurations

Application

openclawopenclaw

< 2026.3.11

range

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
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 2026.3.11 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-32978 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Put an independent control in front of the weakness: restrict the affected endpoint or interface to trusted networks, require an additional authentication factor or proxy-level check, and invalidate existing sessions and credentials in case the flaw has already been used.

Frequently Asked Questions

## Summary In affected versions of `openclaw`, node-host `system.run` approvals did not bind a mutable file operand for some script runners, including forms such as `tsx` and `jiti`. An attacker could obtain approval for a benign script-runner command, rewrite the referenced script on disk, and have the modified code execute under the already approved run context. ## Impact Deployments that rely on node-host `system.run` approvals for script integrity could execute rewritten local code after operator approval. This can lead to unintended local code execution as the OpenClaw runtime user. ##

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

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