OpenClaw's sandbox skill mirroring path traversal vulnerability could write outside the sandbox workspace

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

5.6 · CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2026-28457: 0.16% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 5.09 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Overview In affected versions, OpenClaw’s sandbox skill mirroring used the skill’s frontmatter `name` as part of the destination path when copying skills into the sandbox workspace. A crafted skill name containing traversal segments (for example `../`) or an absolute path could cause the copy to write outside ` /skills/`.

Impact - Files may be written outside the sandbox workspace root (within the permissions of the user running OpenClaw).

Attack Requirements - Attacker can provide a skill package (controls `SKILL.md` frontmatter). - Victim runs with sandbox enabled and skill mirroring into the sandbox workspace.

Affected Packages / Versions - `openclaw` (npm): ` = 2026.2.14`

Fix Commit(s) - 3eb6a31b6fcf8268456988bfa8e3637d373438c2 OpenClaw thanks @1seal for reporting.

Published by the source

2 Mar 2026, 22:51 UTC

Last modified by the source

6 Mar 2026, 01:16 UTC

Source last checked

25 Oct 2026, 00:30 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 25 Oct 2026

   Reviewed OSV alias/range/CVSS4 correction; package source scopes and original publication preserved. No customer finding resolved.

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-xw4p-pw82-hqr7

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-28457

Advisory: OpenClaw's sandbox skill mirroring path traversal vulnerability could write outside the sandbox workspace
IDs: CVE-2026-28457, GHSA-xw4p-pw82-hqr7
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-28457 (revision 2, source checked 25 Oct 2026, 00:30 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.6)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.2.14. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected < 2026.2.14; fixed in 2026.2.14

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls openclaw --all`: lists every installed copy and version, including transitive ones. Run in the project root after `npm ci`.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on openclaw.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-xw4p-pw82-hqr7 (OSV record GHSA-xw4p-pw82-hqr7 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.2.14 (fixed))

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