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High, CVSS 7.3amended

OpenClaw affected by BASH_ENV / ENV startup-file injection into spawned shell commands

GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8

What to do

Vendor fix available. Upgrade each affected package to the fixed version on its release line (openclaw 2026.2.21), redeploy, then verify what is actually installed.

This page has no inventory attached, so it cannot say whether you are affected. A vendor fix is not proof that your deployment is fixed.

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Affected packages

  • npm openclaw

    Affected
    < 2026.2.21
    Fixed in
    2026.2.21

Sources

Severity and exploitation
Exploitation
No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.
CVSS 4.0
7.3 · CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source
EPSS
No dated EPSS signal available.
Source description

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary BASHENV / ENV startup-file injection could lead to unintended pre-command shell execution when attacker-controlled environment values were admitted and then inherited by host command execution paths. Affected Packages / Versions - Package: openclaw (npm) - Affected: <= 2026.2.19-2 - Fixed on main: 2cdbadee1f8fcaa93302d7debbfc529e19868ea4 - Planned patched release version: 2026.2.21 Details The fix hardens environment handling across all relevant execution paths: - Blocks dangerous startup/runtime env keys and prefixes in shared host env sanitization. - Sanitizes inherited ambient environment even when no per-request overrides are provided. - Blocks dangerous config-driven env injection before values enter process environment. - Uses the same sanitizer in macOS host execution paths. - Aligns skill env override sanitization with the shared dangerous-env policy. Impact Medium. Exploitation requires local/privileged influence over configuration or environment inputs; there is no…

Dates and revisions
Published by the source
Last modified by the source
Source last checked
  1. Revision 3 · amended ·

    Amended from ghsa record GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8

  2. Revision 2 · amended ·

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

  3. Revision 1 · created ·

    Published from osv record GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8

Agent brief

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

# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8

Advisory: OpenClaw affected by BASH_ENV / ENV startup-file injection into spawned shell commands
IDs: GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:42 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: openclaw 2026.2.21. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm openclaw: affected < 2026.2.21; fixed in 2026.2.21

## 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-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 (OSV record GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.2.21 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 lists affected ranges: npm openclaw >=0 <2026.2.21)

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