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CVE-2026-44995

OpenClaw < 2026.4.20 - Arbitrary Code Execution via MCP stdio Environment Variables

5.4 MediumFix available

OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Malicious workspace configurations can pass dangerous startup variables like NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to spawned MCP server processes, enabling code injection when operators start sessions using those servers.

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

0.14%Up 0.1 points since May 12, 2026
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 5.4

OpenClaw < 2026.4.20 - Arbitrary Code Execution via MCP stdio Environment Variables

OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Malicious workspace configurations can pass dangerous startup variables like NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to spawned MCP server processes, enabling code injection when operators start sessions using those servers.

Record
CVE-2026-44995
CVSS 4.0
5.4 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-829
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-29140 5.4

OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Malicious workspace configurations can pass dangerous startup variables like NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to spawned MCP server processes, enabling code injection when operators start sessions using those servers.

Record
EUVD-2026-29140
CVSS 4.0
5.4 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-mj59-h3q9-ghfh 5.4

OpenClaw: MCP stdio server env could load dangerous startup variables from workspace config

Affected Packages / Versions

  • Package: openclaw (npm)
  • Affected versions: < 2026.4.20
  • Patched version: 2026.4.20

Impact

Workspace MCP stdio configuration could pass dangerous process-startup environment variables such as NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to the spawned MCP server process. In a malicious workspace, this could make the MCP child load attacker-controlled code when the operator starts a session that uses that MCP server.

The impact is limited to local/workspace trust boundaries and requires the operator to run OpenClaw in a workspace containing the malicious MCP configuration. Severity is therefore medium, not high/critical.

Fix

OpenClaw now filters MCP stdio environment entries through the host environment safety denylist before spawning stdio MCP servers.

Fix commits:

  • 62fa5071896e95edc7f67d1cebc70a2859e283af
  • 85d86ebc4bf3d2226d39d132a484f4f7a299fa1b

Release

Fixed in OpenClaw 2026.4.20.

Record
GHSA-mj59-h3q9-ghfh
CVSS 4.0
5.4 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-427, CWE-454, CWE-829
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-p3m6-jr2h-hhxj 5.4

Duplicate Advisory: OpenClaw: MCP stdio server env could load dangerous startup variables from workspace config

Duplicate Advisory

This advisory has been withdrawn because it is a duplicate of GHSA-mj59-h3q9-ghfh. This link is maintained to preserve external references.

Original Description

OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Malicious workspace configurations can pass dangerous startup variables like NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to spawned MCP server processes, enabling code injection when operators start sessions using those servers.

Record
GHSA-p3m6-jr2h-hhxj
CVSS 4.0
5.4 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/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 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-829
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 5.4

OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Malicious workspace configurations can pass dangerous startup variables like NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to spawned MCP server processes, enabling code injection when operators start sessions using those servers.

Record
CVE-2026-44995
CVSS 4.0
5.4 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/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 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-829
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 5.4

OpenClaw < 2026.4.20 - Arbitrary Code Execution via MCP stdio Environment Variables

OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Malicious workspace configurations can pass dangerous startup variables like NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to spawned MCP server processes, enabling code injection when operators start sessions using those servers.

Record
CVE-2026-44995
CVSS 4.0
5.4 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-829
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-mj59-h3q9-ghfh 5.4

OpenClaw: MCP stdio server env could load dangerous startup variables from workspace config

Affected Packages / Versions

  • Package: openclaw (npm)
  • Affected versions: < 2026.4.20
  • Patched version: 2026.4.20

Impact

Workspace MCP stdio configuration could pass dangerous process-startup environment variables such as NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to the spawned MCP server process. In a malicious workspace, this could make the MCP child load attacker-controlled code when the operator starts a session that uses that MCP server.

The impact is limited to local/workspace trust boundaries and requires the operator to run OpenClaw in a workspace containing the malicious MCP configuration. Severity is therefore medium, not high/critical.

Fix

OpenClaw now filters MCP stdio environment entries through the host environment safety denylist before spawning stdio MCP servers.

Fix commits:

  • 62fa5071896e95edc7f67d1cebc70a2859e283af
  • 85d86ebc4bf3d2226d39d132a484f4f7a299fa1b

Release

Fixed in OpenClaw 2026.4.20.

Record
GHSA-mj59-h3q9-ghfh
CVSS 4.0
5.4 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-427, CWE-454, CWE-829
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-p3m6-jr2h-hhxj 5.4

Duplicate Advisory: OpenClaw: MCP stdio server env could load dangerous startup variables from workspace config

Duplicate Advisory

This advisory has been withdrawn because it is a duplicate of GHSA-mj59-h3q9-ghfh. This link is maintained to preserve external references.

Original Description

OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Malicious workspace configurations can pass dangerous startup variables like NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to spawned MCP server processes, enabling code injection when operators start sessions using those servers.

Record
GHSA-p3m6-jr2h-hhxj
CVSS 4.0
5.4 MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/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 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-829
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
openclaw
npm
 before 2026.4.20
2026.4.20

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2026-44995 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.4) in Openclaw, published April 25, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.14%, the 3rd percentile. Fixed in openclaw 2026.4.20.

References

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