GHSA-m8v2-6wwh-r4gc
OpenClaw's sandbox bind validation could bypass allowed-root and blocked-path checks via symlink-parent missing-leaf paths
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.
Blast Radius
Weekly download volume for affected packages — a proxy for how broadly this vulnerability is deployed.
openclawnpmDescription
Summary
In openclaw up to and including 2026.2.23 (latest npm release as of February 24, 2026), sandbox bind-source validation could be bypassed when a bind source used a symlinked parent plus a non-existent leaf path.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected:
<= 2026.2.23 - Patched:
>= 2026.2.24(planned next release)
Root Cause
validateBindMounts previously relied on full-path realpath only when the full source path already existed. For missing-leaf paths, parent symlink traversal was not fully canonicalized before allowed-root and blocked-path checks.
Security Impact
A source path that looked inside an allowed root could resolve outside that root (including blocked runtime paths) once the missing leaf was created, weakening sandbox bind-source boundary enforcement.
Fix
The validation path now canonicalizes through the nearest existing ancestor, then always re-checks the canonical path against both:
- allowed source roots
- blocked runtime paths
Verification
pnpm checkpnpm exec vitest run --config vitest.gateway.config.tspnpm test:fast- Added regression tests for symlink-parent + missing-leaf bypass patterns.
Fix Commit(s)
b5787e4abba0dcc6baf09051099f6773c1679ec1
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.24) so after npm publish the advisory can be published without further field edits.
OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
Publication Update (2026-02-25)
[email protected] is published on npm and contains the fix commit(s) listed above. This advisory now marks >= 2026.2.24 as patched.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | openclaw | all versions | 2026.2.24 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for openclaw. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update openclaw to 2026.2.24 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-m8v2-6wwh-r4gc 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 pinpoints whether GHSA-m8v2-6wwh-r4gc is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-m8v2-6wwh-r4gc. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-m8v2-6wwh-r4gc in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-m8v2-6wwh-r4gc across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.