OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.23 contain an allowlist bypass vulnerability in system.run guardrails that allows authenticated operators to execute unintended commands. When /usr/bin/env is allowlisted, attackers can use env -S to bypass policy analysis and execute shell wrapper payloads at runtime.
Weakness
The product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are not allowed by policy or otherwise require other action to neutralize before additional processing takes place, but the list is incomplete.
Potential Mitigations
Related Attack Patterns
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/120.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/15.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/182.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/3.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/43.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/6.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/71.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/73.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/85.html
References
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/3f923e831364d83d0f23499ee49961de334cf58b
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/a1c4bf07c6baad3ef87a0e710fe9aef127b1f606
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-48wf-g7cp-gr3m
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-allowlist-exec-guard-bypass-via-env-s