CVE-2026-43531
OpenClaw < 2026.4.9 - Environment Variable Injection via Workspace .env File
OpenClaw before 2026.4.9 contains an environment variable injection vulnerability allowing malicious workspace .env files to set runtime-control variables. Attackers can inject variables affecting update sources, gateway URLs, ClawHub resolution, and browser executable paths to compromise application behavior.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- 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 < 2026.4.9 - Environment Variable Injection via Workspace .env File
OpenClaw before 2026.4.9 contains an environment variable injection vulnerability allowing malicious workspace .env files to set runtime-control variables. Attackers can inject variables affecting update sources, gateway URLs, ClawHub resolution, and browser executable paths to compromise application behavior.
- Record
CVE-2026-43531- CVSS 4.0
- 7.0 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-15
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-27273
OpenClaw before 2026.4.9 contains an environment variable injection vulnerability allowing malicious workspace .env files to set runtime-control variables. Attackers can inject variables affecting update sources, gateway URLs, ClawHub resolution, and browser executable paths to compromise application behavior.
- Record
EUVD-2026-27273- CVSS 4.0
- 7.0 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7wv4-cc7p-jhxc
OpenClaw: Workspace .env could inject OpenClaw runtime-control variables
Summary
Workspace .env could inject OpenClaw runtime-control variables.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw - Ecosystem: npm
- Affected versions:
< 2026.4.9 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.9
Impact
A malicious workspace .env file could set OpenClaw runtime-control variables affecting update sources, gateway URLs, ClawHub resolution, browser executable paths, and related behavior.
Technical Details
The fix blocks OpenClaw runtime-control keys and key families from workspace .env loading.
Fix
The issue was fixed in #62660. The first stable tag containing the fix is v2026.4.9, and [email protected] includes the fix.
Fix Commit(s)
dbfcef319618158fa40b31cdac386ea34c392c0c- PR: #62660
Release Process Note
Users should upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.9 or newer. The latest npm release, 2026.4.14, already includes the fix.
Credits
Thanks to @zsxsoft, with sponsorship from @KeenSecurityLab for reporting this issue.
- Record
GHSA-7wv4-cc7p-jhxc- CVSS 4.0
- 6.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/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-15
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
OpenClaw before 2026.4.9 contains an environment variable injection vulnerability allowing malicious workspace .env files to set runtime-control variables. Attackers can inject variables affecting update sources, gateway URLs, ClawHub resolution, and browser executable paths to compromise application behavior.
- Record
CVE-2026-43531- CVSS 4.0
- 7.0 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/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
- 7.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - 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-15
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
OpenClaw < 2026.4.9 - Environment Variable Injection via Workspace .env File
OpenClaw before 2026.4.9 contains an environment variable injection vulnerability allowing malicious workspace .env files to set runtime-control variables. Attackers can inject variables affecting update sources, gateway URLs, ClawHub resolution, and browser executable paths to compromise application behavior.
- Record
CVE-2026-43531- CVSS 4.0
- 7.0 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-15
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-7wv4-cc7p-jhxc
OpenClaw: Workspace .env could inject OpenClaw runtime-control variables
Summary
Workspace .env could inject OpenClaw runtime-control variables.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw - Ecosystem: npm
- Affected versions:
< 2026.4.9 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.9
Impact
A malicious workspace .env file could set OpenClaw runtime-control variables affecting update sources, gateway URLs, ClawHub resolution, browser executable paths, and related behavior.
Technical Details
The fix blocks OpenClaw runtime-control keys and key families from workspace .env loading.
Fix
The issue was fixed in #62660. The first stable tag containing the fix is v2026.4.9, and [email protected] includes the fix.
Fix Commit(s)
dbfcef319618158fa40b31cdac386ea34c392c0c- PR: #62660
Release Process Note
Users should upgrade to openclaw 2026.4.9 or newer. The latest npm release, 2026.4.14, already includes the fix.
Credits
Thanks to @zsxsoft, with sponsorship from @KeenSecurityLab for reporting this issue.
- Record
GHSA-7wv4-cc7p-jhxc- CVSS 4.0
- 6.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/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-15
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openclawnpm |
before 2026.4.9 | 2026.4.9 |
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-2026-43531 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.0) in Openclaw, published April 17, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.20%, the 10th percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.4.9.
References
github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-7wv4-cc7p-jhxc
vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-environment-variable-injection-via-workspace-env-file
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43531