OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.21 fail to filter dangerous process-control environment variables from config env.vars, allowing startup-time code execution. Attackers can inject variables like NODE_OPTIONS or LD_* through configuration to execute arbitrary code in the OpenClaw gateway service runtime context.
Weakness
One or more system settings or configuration elements can be externally controlled by a user.
Potential Mitigations
- Compartmentalize the system to have “safe” areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area.
- Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
Related Attack Patterns
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/13.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/146.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/176.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/203.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/270.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/271.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/579.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/69.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/76.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/77.html