OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.22 contain an allowlist parsing mismatch vulnerability in the macOS companion app that allows authenticated operators to bypass exec approval checks. Attackers with operator.write privileges and a paired macOS beta node can craft shell-chain payloads that pass incomplete allowlist validation and execute arbitrary commands on the paired host.
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/5da03e622119fa012285cdb590fcf4264c965cb5
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/e371da38aab99521c4e076cd3d95fd775e00b784
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-5f9p-f3w2-fwch
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-allowlist-parsing-mismatch-in-system-run-shell-chains