OpenClaw's POSIX node system.run safe-bin allowlist could be widened by shell expansion

Exploitation

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

CVSS 4.0

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

EPSS

• CVE-2026-53831: 0.20% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 9.65 (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 On POSIX nodes, OpenClaw's system.run safe-bin checks could approve a command before shell expansion changed how the command was interpreted. A value that appeared to be a safe-bin argument could expand into additional shell words and become a file operand. This issue is limited to paired POSIX node execution through system.run with safe-bin or allowlist-style auto-approval. It is not an unauthenticated node takeover. Affected configurations This affects deployments where: - a POSIX node is paired to the gateway - system.run is reachable by an authenticated operator or agent flow - exec policy uses safe-bin or allowlist-based auto-approval - the approved command contains shell-expanded values that can change argv shape Impact A lower-privilege operator flow could cause an approved safe-bin command to read a node-local file that was not intended by the policy. Depending on the local files available to the node process, this could expose OpenClaw configuration data or other…

Published by the source

2 Jul 2026, 16:05 UTC

Last modified by the source

26 Aug 2026, 01:18 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:01 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79

2. Revision 2 · amended · 25 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-mhq8-78pj-5j79

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-53831

Advisory: OpenClaw's POSIX node system.run safe-bin allowlist could be widened by shell expansion
IDs: CVE-2026-53831, GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-53831 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:01 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.6)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.5.18. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected < 2026.5.18; fixed in 2026.5.18

## 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-mhq8-78pj-5j79 (OSV record GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.5.18 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.5.18)

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