OpenClaw: Windows-compatible env override keys could bypass system.run approval bindingGHSA-98ch-45wp-ch47
Fix: openclaw/openclaw@7eb094aGHSA-98ch-45wp-ch47 is a CWE-184 vulnerability in openclaw. A fix is available for openclaw — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-98ch-45wp-ch47.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
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
Before OpenClaw 2026.4.2, system-run approval binding normalized environment override keys differently from host execution. Windows-compatible keys could be omitted from the approval binding while still being injected at execution time.
Impact
An approved command could run with attacker-chosen environment overrides that were not represented in the approval binding. This created an approval-integrity gap for affected host-exec flows.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= 2026.4.1 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.2 - Latest published npm version:
2026.4.1
Fix Commit(s)
7eb094a00d80e9f6bf0e62f2c45d3b88ff67c04d— align approval binding with execution-time env-key normalization
Release Process Note
The fix is present on main and is staged for OpenClaw 2026.4.2. Publish this advisory after the 2026.4.2 npm release is live.
Thanks @iskindar for reporting, and thanks @wsparks-vc for coordination.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | openclaw | all versions | 2026.4.2npm install openclaw@2026.4.2 |
Affected Products
openclawopenclawDetection & 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 2026.4.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-98ch-45wp-ch47 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-98ch-45wp-ch47 in your dependencies?
Find it across npm, including transitive dependencies.