OpenClaw has command injection via Windows shell fallback in Lobster tool execution

Exploitation

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

CVSS 4.0

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

EPSS

• CVE-2026-32000: 0.64% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 50.85 (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.

Summary The Lobster extension tool execution path used a Windows shell fallback (shell: true) after spawn failures (EINVAL/ENOENT). In that fallback path, shell metacharacters in command arguments can be interpreted by the shell, enabling command injection. Affected Packages / Versions - Package: openclaw (npm) - Affected versions: <= 2026.2.17 - Latest confirmed affected published version: 2026.2.17 - Patched version: 2026.2.19 Technical Details In affected releases (including v2026.2.17), extensions/lobster/src/lobster-tool.ts retried subprocess launch with shell: true on Windows for EINVAL/ENOENT spawn errors. The fix removes shell fallback and resolves Windows wrappers to explicit executable/script argv execution. Fix Commit(s) - ba7be018da354ea9f803ed356d20464df0437916 OpenClaw thanks @allsmog for reporting.

Published by the source

3 Mar 2026, 18:09 UTC

Last modified by the source

19 Mar 2026, 21:41 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:46 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-7fcc-cw49-xm78

2. Revision 2 · amended · 24 Oct 2026

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

3. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-7fcc-cw49-xm78

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-32000

Advisory: OpenClaw has command injection via Windows shell fallback in Lobster tool execution
IDs: CVE-2026-32000, GHSA-7fcc-cw49-xm78
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-32000 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:46 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.6)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.2.19. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected < 2026.2.19; fixed in 2026.2.19

## 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-7fcc-cw49-xm78 (OSV record GHSA-7fcc-cw49-xm78 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.2.19 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7fcc-cw49-xm78 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-7fcc-cw49-xm78 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.2.19)

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