CVE-2026-32978
OpenClaw < 2026.3.11 - Approval Bypass via Unrecognized Script Runners
OpenClaw before 2026.3.11 contains an approval integrity vulnerability where system.run approvals fail to bind mutable file operands for certain script runners like tsx and jiti. Attackers can obtain approval for benign script commands, rewrite referenced scripts on disk, and execute modified code under the approved run context.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- Passive
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
OpenClaw < 2026.3.11 - Approval Bypass via Unrecognized Script Runners
OpenClaw before 2026.3.11 contains an approval integrity vulnerability where system.run approvals fail to bind mutable file operands for certain script runners like tsx and jiti. Attackers can obtain approval for benign script commands, rewrite referenced scripts on disk, and execute modified code under the approved run context.
- Record
CVE-2026-32978- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-17016
OpenClaw before 2026.3.11 contains an approval integrity vulnerability where system.run approvals fail to bind mutable file operands for certain script runners like tsx and jiti. Attackers can obtain approval for benign script commands, rewrite referenced scripts on disk, and execute modified code under the approved run context.
- Record
EUVD-2026-17016- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-qc36-x95h-7j53
OpenClaw: Unrecognized script runners could bypass `system.run` approval integrity
Summary
In affected versions of openclaw, node-host system.run approvals did not bind a mutable file operand for some script runners, including forms such as tsx and jiti. An attacker could obtain approval for a benign script-runner command, rewrite the referenced script on disk, and have the modified code execute under the already approved run context.
Impact
Deployments that rely on node-host system.run approvals for script integrity could execute rewritten local code after operator approval. This can lead to unintended local code execution as the OpenClaw runtime user.
Affected Packages and Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
< 2026.3.11 - Fixed in:
2026.3.11
Technical Details
The approval planner only tracked mutable script operands for a hardcoded set of interpreters and runtime forms. Commands such as tsx ./run.ts and jiti ./run.ts fell through without a bound file snapshot, so the final pre-execution revalidation step was skipped.
Fix
OpenClaw now fails closed for approval-backed interpreter and runtime commands unless it can bind exactly one concrete local file operand, and it extends direct-file binding coverage for additional runtime forms. The fix shipped in [email protected].
Workarounds
Upgrade to 2026.3.11 or later.
- Record
GHSA-qc36-x95h-7j53- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
OpenClaw before 2026.3.11 contains an approval integrity vulnerability where system.run approvals fail to bind mutable file operands for certain script runners like tsx and jiti. Attackers can obtain approval for benign script commands, rewrite referenced scripts on disk, and execute modified code under the approved run context.
- Record
CVE-2026-32978- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/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
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw < 2026.3.11 - Approval Bypass via Unrecognized Script Runners
OpenClaw before 2026.3.11 contains an approval integrity vulnerability where system.run approvals fail to bind mutable file operands for certain script runners like tsx and jiti. Attackers can obtain approval for benign script commands, rewrite referenced scripts on disk, and execute modified code under the approved run context.
- Record
CVE-2026-32978- CVSS 4.0
- 9.4 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-qc36-x95h-7j53
OpenClaw: Unrecognized script runners could bypass `system.run` approval integrity
Summary
In affected versions of openclaw, node-host system.run approvals did not bind a mutable file operand for some script runners, including forms such as tsx and jiti. An attacker could obtain approval for a benign script-runner command, rewrite the referenced script on disk, and have the modified code execute under the already approved run context.
Impact
Deployments that rely on node-host system.run approvals for script integrity could execute rewritten local code after operator approval. This can lead to unintended local code execution as the OpenClaw runtime user.
Affected Packages and Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
< 2026.3.11 - Fixed in:
2026.3.11
Technical Details
The approval planner only tracked mutable script operands for a hardcoded set of interpreters and runtime forms. Commands such as tsx ./run.ts and jiti ./run.ts fell through without a bound file snapshot, so the final pre-execution revalidation step was skipped.
Fix
OpenClaw now fails closed for approval-backed interpreter and runtime commands unless it can bind exactly one concrete local file operand, and it extends direct-file binding coverage for additional runtime forms. The fix shipped in [email protected].
Workarounds
Upgrade to 2026.3.11 or later.
- Record
GHSA-qc36-x95h-7j53- CVSS 3.1
- 8.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-863
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm |
before 2026.3.11 | 2026.3.11 |
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-2026-32978 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.4) in Openclaw, published March 13, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.18%, the 7th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.3.11.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-qc36-x95h-7j53
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-approval-bypass-via-unrecognized-script-runners
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32978