OpenClaw's system.run allowlist approval parsing missed PowerShell encoded-command wrappers

Exploitation

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

CVSS

5.0 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

OpenClaw's system.run shell-wrapper detection did not recognize PowerShell -EncodedCommand forms as inline-command wrappers. In allowlist mode, a caller with access to system.run could invoke pwsh or powershell using -EncodedCommand, -enc, or -e, and the request would fall back to plain argv analysis instead of the normal shell-wrapper approval path. This could allow a PowerShell inline payload to execute without the approval step that equivalent -Command invocations would require. Latest published npm version: 2026.3.2 Fixed on main on March 7, 2026 in 1d1757b16f48f1a93cd16ab0ad7e2c3c63ce727d by recognizing PowerShell encoded-command aliases during shell-wrapper parsing, so allowlist mode continues to require approval for those payloads. Normal approved PowerShell wrapper flows continue to work. Affected Packages / Versions - Package: openclaw (npm) - Affected versions: <= 2026.3.2 - Patched version: = 2026.3.7 Fix Commit(s) - 1d1757b16f48f1a93cd16ab0ad7e2c3c63ce727d Release Process…

Published by the source

9 Mar 2026, 19:53 UTC

Last modified by the source

9 Mar 2026, 20:01 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:43 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-3h2q-j2v4-6w5r

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-3h2q-j2v4-6w5r

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-3h2q-j2v4-6w5r

Advisory: OpenClaw's system.run allowlist approval parsing missed PowerShell encoded-command wrappers
IDs: GHSA-3h2q-j2v4-6w5r
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-3h2q-j2v4-6w5r (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:43 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.0)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.3.7. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected <= 2026.3.2; fixed in 2026.3.7

## 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-3h2q-j2v4-6w5r (OSV record GHSA-3h2q-j2v4-6w5r lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.3.7 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-3h2q-j2v4-6w5r (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-3h2q-j2v4-6w5r lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <=2026.3.2)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.