CVE-2026-22217
OpenClaw 2026.2.22 < 2026.2.23 - Arbitrary Binary Execution via $SHELL Environment Variable Trusted Prefix Fallback
OpenClaw version 2026.2.22 prior to 2026.2.23 contains an arbitrary code execution vulnerability in shell-env that allows attackers to execute attacker-controlled binaries by exploiting trusted-prefix fallback logic for the $SHELL variable. An attacker can influence the $SHELL environment variable on systems with writable trusted-prefix directories such as /opt/homebrew/bin to execute arbitrary binaries in the OpenClaw process context.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
OpenClaw 2026.2.22 < 2026.2.23 - Arbitrary Binary Execution via $SHELL Environment Variable Trusted Prefix Fallback
OpenClaw version 2026.2.22 prior to 2026.2.23 contains an arbitrary code execution vulnerability in shell-env that allows attackers to execute attacker-controlled binaries by exploiting trusted-prefix fallback logic for the $SHELL variable. An attacker can influence the $SHELL environment variable on systems with writable trusted-prefix directories such as /opt/homebrew/bin to execute arbitrary binaries in the OpenClaw process context.
- Record
CVE-2026-22217- CVSS 4.0
- 5.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-829
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-12730
OpenClaw version 2026.2.22 prior to 2026.2.23 contains an arbitrary code execution vulnerability in shell-env that allows attackers to execute attacker-controlled binaries by exploiting trusted-prefix fallback logic for the $SHELL variable. An attacker can influence the $SHELL environment variable on systems with writable trusted-prefix directories such as /opt/homebrew/bin to execute arbitrary binaries in the OpenClaw process context.
- Record
EUVD-2026-12730- CVSS 4.0
- 5.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-p4wh-cr8m-gm6c
OpenClaw: shell-env trusted-prefix fallback allowed attacker-controlled binary execution via $SHELL
Summary
shell-env fallback trusted prefix-based executable paths for $SHELL, allowing execution of attacker-controlled binaries in local/runtime-env influence scenarios.
Details
In affected versions, shell selection accepted either:
- a shell listed in
/etc/shells, or - any executable under hardcoded trusted prefixes (
/bin,/usr/bin,/usr/local/bin,/opt/homebrew/bin,/run/current-system/sw/bin).
The selected shell was then executed as a login shell (-l -c 'env -0') for PATH/environment probing.
On systems where a trusted-prefix directory is writable (for example common Homebrew layouts under /opt/homebrew/bin) and runtime $SHELL can be influenced, this enabled attacker-controlled binary execution in OpenClaw process context.
The fix removes the trusted-prefix executable fallback and now trusts only shells explicitly registered in /etc/shells; otherwise it falls back to /bin/sh.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
>= 2026.2.22, <= 2026.2.22-2 - Latest published vulnerable version:
2026.2.22-2 - Patched versions (released):
>= 2026.2.23
Fix Commit(s)
ff10fe8b91670044a6bb0cd85deb736a0ec8fb55
Release Process Note
This advisory sets patched_versions to the released version (2026.2.23).
This advisory now reflects released fix version 2026.2.23.
OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-p4wh-cr8m-gm6c- CVSS 4.0
- 5.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-184, CWE-829
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
OpenClaw version 2026.2.22 prior to 2026.2.23 contains an arbitrary code execution vulnerability in shell-env that allows attackers to execute attacker-controlled binaries by exploiting trusted-prefix fallback logic for the $SHELL variable. An attacker can influence the $SHELL environment variable on systems with writable trusted-prefix directories such as /opt/homebrew/bin to execute arbitrary binaries in the OpenClaw process context.
- Record
CVE-2026-22217- CVSS 4.0
- 5.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-829
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw 2026.2.22 < 2026.2.23 - Arbitrary Binary Execution via $SHELL Environment Variable Trusted Prefix Fallback
OpenClaw version 2026.2.22 prior to 2026.2.23 contains an arbitrary code execution vulnerability in shell-env that allows attackers to execute attacker-controlled binaries by exploiting trusted-prefix fallback logic for the $SHELL variable. An attacker can influence the $SHELL environment variable on systems with writable trusted-prefix directories such as /opt/homebrew/bin to execute arbitrary binaries in the OpenClaw process context.
- Record
CVE-2026-22217- CVSS 4.0
- 5.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-829
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-p4wh-cr8m-gm6c
OpenClaw: shell-env trusted-prefix fallback allowed attacker-controlled binary execution via $SHELL
Summary
shell-env fallback trusted prefix-based executable paths for $SHELL, allowing execution of attacker-controlled binaries in local/runtime-env influence scenarios.
Details
In affected versions, shell selection accepted either:
- a shell listed in
/etc/shells, or - any executable under hardcoded trusted prefixes (
/bin,/usr/bin,/usr/local/bin,/opt/homebrew/bin,/run/current-system/sw/bin).
The selected shell was then executed as a login shell (-l -c 'env -0') for PATH/environment probing.
On systems where a trusted-prefix directory is writable (for example common Homebrew layouts under /opt/homebrew/bin) and runtime $SHELL can be influenced, this enabled attacker-controlled binary execution in OpenClaw process context.
The fix removes the trusted-prefix executable fallback and now trusts only shells explicitly registered in /etc/shells; otherwise it falls back to /bin/sh.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
>= 2026.2.22, <= 2026.2.22-2 - Latest published vulnerable version:
2026.2.22-2 - Patched versions (released):
>= 2026.2.23
Fix Commit(s)
ff10fe8b91670044a6bb0cd85deb736a0ec8fb55
Release Process Note
This advisory sets patched_versions to the released version (2026.2.23).
This advisory now reflects released fix version 2026.2.23.
OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
- Record
GHSA-p4wh-cr8m-gm6c- CVSS 4.0
- 5.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-184, CWE-829
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm |
2026.2.22 up to 2026.2.23 | 2026.2.23 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-22217 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.8) in Openclaw, published March 3, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.13%, the 2nd percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.2.23.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-p4wh-cr8m-gm6c
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-arbitrary-binary-execution-via-shell-environment-variable-trusted-prefix-fallback
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22217