CVE-2026-42435 — openclaw
Fix: openclaw/openclaw@8f8492dCVE-2026-42435 is a CWE-184 vulnerability in openclaw. A fix is available for openclaw — see the affected versions and patch details below.
OpenClaw 2026.2.22 < 2026.4.12 - Shell-Wrapper Detection Bypass via Environment Variable Assignment Injection
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-2026-42435.
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
Shell-wrapper detection missed env-argv assignment injection forms.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw - Ecosystem: npm
- Affected versions:
>= 2026.2.22 < 2026.4.12 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.12
Impact
Exec preflight handling missed shell-wrapper and argv-level environment assignment forms that could affect execution semantics, including high-risk shell environment controls.
Technical Details
The fix broadens shell-wrapper detection and blocks environment assignments in argv forms. High-risk shell variables such as SHELLOPTS and PS4 are covered by the host environment security policy.
Fix
The issue was fixed in #65717. The first stable tag containing the fix is v2026.4.12, and [email protected] includes the fix.
Fix Commit(s)
8f8492d172f4c5b4fd7dd9a47855ed620c8770ab- PR: #65717
Release Process Note
Users should upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.12 or newer. The latest npm release, 2026.4.14, already includes the fix.
Credits
Thanks to @decsecre583 for reporting this issue.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | openclaw | ≥ 2026.2.22&&< 2026.4.12 | 2026.4.12npm install openclaw@2026.4.12 |
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 2026.4.12 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-42435 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-2026-42435 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2026-42435. 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-2026-42435 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2026-42435 across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.