CVE-2026-42435
OpenClaw 2026.2.22 < 2026.4.12 - Shell-Wrapper Detection Bypass via Environment Variable Assignment Injection
OpenClaw versions from 2026.2.22 before 2026.4.12 contain an insufficient shell-wrapper detection vulnerability allowing attackers to inject environment variable assignments at the argv level. Attackers can bypass exec preflight handling to manipulate high-risk shell variables like SHELLOPTS and PS4, affecting execution semantics and security controls.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
OpenClaw 2026.2.22 < 2026.4.12 - Shell-Wrapper Detection Bypass via Environment Variable Assignment Injection
OpenClaw versions from 2026.2.22 before 2026.4.12 contain an insufficient shell-wrapper detection vulnerability allowing attackers to inject environment variable assignments at the argv level. Attackers can bypass exec preflight handling to manipulate high-risk shell variables like SHELLOPTS and PS4, affecting execution semantics and security controls.
- Record
CVE-2026-42435- CVSS 4.0
- 8.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-184
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-27253
OpenClaw versions from 2026.2.22 before 2026.4.12 contain an insufficient shell-wrapper detection vulnerability allowing attackers to inject environment variable assignments at the argv level. Attackers can bypass exec preflight handling to manipulate high-risk shell variables like SHELLOPTS and PS4, affecting execution semantics and security controls.
- Record
EUVD-2026-27253- CVSS 4.0
- 8.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-j6c7-3h5x-99g9
OpenClaw: Shell-wrapper detection missed env-argv assignment injection forms
Summary
Shell-wrapper detection missed env-argv assignment injection forms.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw - Ecosystem: npm
- Affected versions:
>= 2026.2.22 < 2026.4.12 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.12
Impact
Exec preflight handling missed shell-wrapper and argv-level environment assignment forms that could affect execution semantics, including high-risk shell environment controls.
Technical Details
The fix broadens shell-wrapper detection and blocks environment assignments in argv forms. High-risk shell variables such as SHELLOPTS and PS4 are covered by the host environment security policy.
Fix
The issue was fixed in #65717. The first stable tag containing the fix is v2026.4.12, and [email protected] includes the fix.
Fix Commit(s)
8f8492d172f4c5b4fd7dd9a47855ed620c8770ab- PR: #65717
Release Process Note
Users should upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.12 or newer. The latest npm release, 2026.4.14, already includes the fix.
Credits
Thanks to @decsecre583 for reporting this issue.
- Record
GHSA-j6c7-3h5x-99g9- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
OpenClaw versions from 2026.2.22 before 2026.4.12 contain an insufficient shell-wrapper detection vulnerability allowing attackers to inject environment variable assignments at the argv level. Attackers can bypass exec preflight handling to manipulate high-risk shell variables like SHELLOPTS and PS4, affecting execution semantics and security controls.
- Record
CVE-2026-42435- CVSS 4.0
- 8.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-184
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw 2026.2.22 < 2026.4.12 - Shell-Wrapper Detection Bypass via Environment Variable Assignment Injection
OpenClaw versions from 2026.2.22 before 2026.4.12 contain an insufficient shell-wrapper detection vulnerability allowing attackers to inject environment variable assignments at the argv level. Attackers can bypass exec preflight handling to manipulate high-risk shell variables like SHELLOPTS and PS4, affecting execution semantics and security controls.
- Record
CVE-2026-42435- CVSS 4.0
- 8.7 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-184
- Updated
- 2026-11-11
OSVGHSA-j6c7-3h5x-99g9
OpenClaw: Shell-wrapper detection missed env-argv assignment injection forms
Summary
Shell-wrapper detection missed env-argv assignment injection forms.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw - Ecosystem: npm
- Affected versions:
>= 2026.2.22 < 2026.4.12 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.12
Impact
Exec preflight handling missed shell-wrapper and argv-level environment assignment forms that could affect execution semantics, including high-risk shell environment controls.
Technical Details
The fix broadens shell-wrapper detection and blocks environment assignments in argv forms. High-risk shell variables such as SHELLOPTS and PS4 are covered by the host environment security policy.
Fix
The issue was fixed in #65717. The first stable tag containing the fix is v2026.4.12, and [email protected] includes the fix.
Fix Commit(s)
8f8492d172f4c5b4fd7dd9a47855ed620c8770ab- PR: #65717
Release Process Note
Users should upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.12 or newer. The latest npm release, 2026.4.14, already includes the fix.
Credits
Thanks to @decsecre583 for reporting this issue.
- Record
GHSA-j6c7-3h5x-99g9- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm |
2026.2.22 up to 2026.4.12 | 2026.4.12 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| facts | OSV | |
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-42435 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.7) in Openclaw, published April 17, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.41%, the 35th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.4.12.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-j6c7-3h5x-99g9
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-shell-wrapper-detection-bypass-via-environment-variable-assignment-injection
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-42435