In openclaw npm releases up to and including 2026.2.21-2, approving wrapped system.run commands with allow-always in security=allowlist mode could persist wrapper-level allowlist entries and enable later approval-bypass execution of different inner payloads.
openclaw (npm)<= 2026.2.21-22026.2.22allow-always persistence was based on wrapper-level resolution instead of stable inner executable intent. A benign approved wrapper invocation could therefore broaden future trust boundaries.
Affected paths included gateway and node-host execution approval persistence flows. The fix now persists inner executable paths for known dispatch-wrapper chains (env, nice, nohup, stdbuf, timeout) and fails closed when safe unwrapping cannot be derived.
Authorization boundary bypass in allowlist mode, potentially leading to approval-free command execution (RCE class) on subsequent wrapped invocations.
Upgrade to 2026.2.22 (planned next release) or run with stricter exec policy (ask=always / security=deny) until upgraded.
24c954d972400f508814532dea0e4dcb38418bb0patched_versions is pre-set to 2026.2.22 so this advisory is publish-ready; publish after the npm release is live.
OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
A security vulnerability is a weakness in software, hardware, or configuration that can be exploited to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Many vulnerabilities are tracked as CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), which provide a standardized identifier so teams can coordinate patching, mitigation, and risk assessment across tools and vendors.
CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) estimates technical severity, but it doesn't automatically equal business risk. Prioritize using context like internet exposure, affected asset criticality, known exploitation (proof-of-concept or in-the-wild), and whether compensating controls exist. A "Medium" CVSS on an exposed, production system can be more urgent than a "Critical" on an isolated, non-production host.
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