{"id":"CVE-2026-53831","aliases":["GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79"],"url":"https://o3.security/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53831","summary":"OpenClaw < 2026.5.18 - Arbitrary File Read via Shell Expansion in system.run Safe-bin Allowlist","details":"### Summary\n\nOn POSIX nodes, OpenClaw's `system.run` safe-bin checks could approve a command before shell expansion changed how the command was interpreted. A value that appeared to be a safe-bin argument could expand into additional shell words and become a file operand.\n\nThis issue is limited to paired POSIX node execution through `system.run` with safe-bin or allowlist-style auto-approval. It is not an unauthenticated node takeover.\n\n### Affected configurations\n\nThis affects deployments where:\n\n- a POSIX node is paired to the gateway\n- `system.run` is reachable by an authenticated operator or agent flow\n- exec policy uses safe-bin or allowlist-based auto-approval\n- the approved command contains shell-expanded values that can change argv shape\n\n### Impact\n\nA lower-privilege operator flow could cause an approved safe-bin command to read a node-local file that was not intended by the policy. Depending on the local files available to the node process, this could expose OpenClaw configuration data or other node-local information.\n\nThe issue is a policy-enforcement gap in argv validation, not a general statement that every safe-bin command is unsafe.\n\n### Patched Versions\n\nThe first stable patched version is `2026.5.18`.\n\n### Mitigations\n\nUpgrade to `openclaw@2026.5.18` or later. Before upgrading, avoid broad safe-bin auto-approval for commands that can read arbitrary paths, and prefer explicit approval for node commands that touch local files.","published":"2026-06-12T21:56:56.465Z","modified":"2026-08-17T03:55:02.893102048Z","cvss":null,"epss":{"score":0.00198,"percentile":0.09701,"asOf":"2026-09-13"},"cisaKev":null,"exploitsKnown":0,"affectedPackages":[{"ecosystem":"npm","name":"openclaw","fixedVersion":"2026.5.18"}],"fix":null,"references":[{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/53xxx/CVE-2026-53831.json"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53831"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-arbitrary-file-read-via-shell-expansion-in-system-run-safe-bin-allowlist"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"}],"provenance":{"sources":["OSV.dev","FIRST.org (EPSS)"],"lastVerified":"2026-08-17T03:55:02.893102048Z"}}