{"id":"CVE-2026-53831","aliases":["EUVD-2026-36619","GHSA-gwcq-453v-2frr","GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79"],"status":"published","title":"OpenClaw \u003c 2026.5.18 - Arbitrary File Read via Shell Expansion in system.run Safe-bin Allowlist","description":"OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 contains a policy enforcement vulnerability in system.run safe-bin allowlist validation that allows shell expansion to modify command interpretation on POSIX nodes. Authenticated operators can exploit shell metacharacters in approved commands to read unintended node-local files and expose sensitive configuration data.","severity":{"version":"4.0","score":7.6,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","level":"high","assessor":"cna","from":"cve"},"epss":{"day":"2026-11-12","score":0.00198,"percentile":0.09675,"model":"v2026.06.15"},"facts":{"in_kev":false,"known_exploited":false,"public_exploit":false,"fix_available":true},"cwes":["CWE-200","CWE-284","CWE-367","CWE-78"],"published":"2026-06-12T21:56:56Z","modified":"2026-10-28T02:30:45Z","fixes":[{"ecosystem":"npm","package":"openclaw","fixed_in":["2026.5.18"],"sources":["ghsa","osv"]}],"affected":[{"source":"ghsa","ecosystem":"npm","package":"openclaw","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2026.5.18"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"npm","package":"openclaw","ranges":[{"type":"SEMVER","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2026.5.18"}]}]}],"products":[{"vendor":"openclaw","product":"openclaw"}],"references":[{"url":"https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79","tags":["vendor-advisory","Mitigation","Vendor Advisory","advisory","web"]},{"url":"https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-arbitrary-file-read-via-shell-expansion-in-system-run-safe-bin-allowlist","tags":["third-party-advisory","Third Party Advisory","advisory","web"]},{"url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53831","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-gwcq-453v-2frr"},{"url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79"},{"url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/53xxx/CVE-2026-53831.json","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw","tags":["package"]}],"sources":{"cve":[{"id":"CVE-2026-53831","title":"OpenClaw \u003c 2026.5.18 - Arbitrary File Read via Shell Expansion in system.run Safe-bin Allowlist","description":"OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 contains a policy enforcement vulnerability in system.run safe-bin allowlist validation that allows shell expansion to modify command interpretation on POSIX nodes. Authenticated operators can exploit shell metacharacters in approved commands to read unintended node-local files and expose sensitive configuration data.","status":"published","published":"2026-06-12T21:56:56.465Z","modified":"2026-06-15T12:54:00.497Z","cvss":[{"version":"4.0","score":7.6,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","level":"high","assessor":"cna"},{"version":"3.1","score":8.3,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L","level":"high","assessor":"cna"}],"cwes":["CWE-367"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:19:59.761005Z"}],"euvd":[{"id":"EUVD-2026-36619","description":"OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 contains a policy enforcement vulnerability in system.run safe-bin allowlist validation that allows shell expansion to modify command interpretation on POSIX nodes. Authenticated operators can exploit shell metacharacters in approved commands to read unintended node-local files and expose sensitive configuration data.","status":"published","published":"2026-06-12T21:56:56Z","modified":"2026-06-15T12:54:00Z","cvss":[{"version":"4.0","score":7.6,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","level":"high"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T18:20:42.360452Z"}],"ghsa":[{"id":"GHSA-gwcq-453v-2frr","title":"Duplicate Advisory: OpenClaw's POSIX node system.run safe-bin allowlist could be widened by shell expansion","description":"### Duplicate Advisory\nThis advisory has been withdrawn because it is a duplicate of GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79. This link is maintained to preserve external references.\n\n### Original Description\nOpenClaw before 2026.5.18 contains a policy enforcement vulnerability in system.run safe-bin allowlist validation that allows shell expansion to modify command interpretation on POSIX nodes. Authenticated operators can exploit shell metacharacters in approved commands to read unintended node-local files and expose sensitive configuration data.","status":"withdrawn","published":"2026-06-13T00:34:32Z","modified":"2026-08-25T16:38:42Z","cvss":[{"version":"4.0","score":7.6,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/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","level":"high"},{"version":"3.1","score":8.3,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L","level":"high"}],"cwes":["CWE-367"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:41:05.994358Z"},{"id":"GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79","title":"OpenClaw's POSIX node system.run safe-bin allowlist could be widened by shell expansion","description":"### Summary\n\nOn POSIX nodes, OpenClaw's `system.run` safe-bin checks could approve a command before shell expansion changed how the command was interpreted. A value that appeared to be a safe-bin argument could expand into additional shell words and become a file operand.\n\nThis issue is limited to paired POSIX node execution through `system.run` with safe-bin or allowlist-style auto-approval. It is not an unauthenticated node takeover.\n\n### Affected configurations\n\nThis affects deployments where:\n\n- a POSIX node is paired to the gateway\n- `system.run` is reachable by an authenticated operator or agent flow\n- exec policy uses safe-bin or allowlist-based auto-approval\n- the approved command contains shell-expanded values that can change argv shape\n\n### Impact\n\nA lower-privilege operator flow could cause an approved safe-bin command to read a node-local file that was not intended by the policy. Depending on the local files available to the node process, this could expose OpenClaw configuration data or other node-local information.\n\nThe issue is a policy-enforcement gap in argv validation, not a general statement that every safe-bin command is unsafe.\n\n### Patched Versions\n\nThe first stable patched version is `2026.5.18`.\n\n### Mitigations\n\nUpgrade to `openclaw@2026.5.18` or later. Before upgrading, avoid broad safe-bin auto-approval for commands that can read arbitrary paths, and prefer explicit approval for node commands that touch local files.","status":"published","published":"2026-07-02T16:05:38Z","modified":"2026-08-25T16:38:52Z","cvss":[{"version":"4.0","score":7.6,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","level":"high"},{"version":"3.1","score":7.1,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L","level":"high"}],"cwes":["CWE-78","CWE-200","CWE-284","CWE-367"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:41:05.994358Z"}],"nvd":[{"id":"CVE-2026-53831","description":"OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 contains a policy enforcement vulnerability in system.run safe-bin allowlist validation that allows shell expansion to modify command interpretation on POSIX nodes. Authenticated operators can exploit shell metacharacters in approved commands to read unintended node-local files and expose sensitive configuration data.","status":"published","published":"2026-06-12T22:16:54.643Z","modified":"2026-07-23T09:10:00.113Z","cvss":[{"version":"4.0","score":7.6,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/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","level":"high","assessor":"secondary"},{"version":"3.1","score":8.3,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L","level":"high","assessor":"secondary"},{"version":"3.1","score":8.1,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N","level":"high","assessor":"primary"}],"cwes":["CWE-367"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:12:23.846948Z"}],"osv":[{"id":"CVE-2026-53831","title":"OpenClaw \u003c 2026.5.18 - Arbitrary File Read via Shell Expansion in system.run Safe-bin Allowlist","description":"OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 contains a policy enforcement vulnerability in system.run safe-bin allowlist validation that allows shell expansion to modify command interpretation on POSIX nodes. Authenticated operators can exploit shell metacharacters in approved commands to read unintended node-local files and expose sensitive configuration data.","status":"published","published":"2026-06-12T21:56:56.465Z","modified":"2026-10-28T02:30:45.813133757Z","cvss":[{"version":"4.0","score":7.6,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","level":"high"}],"cwes":["CWE-367"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:45:08.132336Z"},{"id":"GHSA-gwcq-453v-2frr","title":"Duplicate Advisory: OpenClaw's POSIX node system.run safe-bin allowlist could be widened by shell expansion","description":"### Duplicate Advisory\nThis advisory has been withdrawn because it is a duplicate of GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79. This link is maintained to preserve external references.\n\n### Original Description\nOpenClaw before 2026.5.18 contains a policy enforcement vulnerability in system.run safe-bin allowlist validation that allows shell expansion to modify command interpretation on POSIX nodes. Authenticated operators can exploit shell metacharacters in approved commands to read unintended node-local files and expose sensitive configuration data.","status":"withdrawn","published":"2026-06-13T00:34:32Z","modified":"2026-08-26T01:18:22.158693635Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":8.3,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L","level":"high"},{"version":"4.0","score":7.6,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/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","level":"high"}],"cwes":["CWE-367"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:46:48.191583Z"},{"id":"GHSA-mhq8-78pj-5j79","title":"OpenClaw's POSIX node system.run safe-bin allowlist could be widened by shell expansion","description":"### Summary\n\nOn POSIX nodes, OpenClaw's `system.run` safe-bin checks could approve a command before shell expansion changed how the command was interpreted. A value that appeared to be a safe-bin argument could expand into additional shell words and become a file operand.\n\nThis issue is limited to paired POSIX node execution through `system.run` with safe-bin or allowlist-style auto-approval. It is not an unauthenticated node takeover.\n\n### Affected configurations\n\nThis affects deployments where:\n\n- a POSIX node is paired to the gateway\n- `system.run` is reachable by an authenticated operator or agent flow\n- exec policy uses safe-bin or allowlist-based auto-approval\n- the approved command contains shell-expanded values that can change argv shape\n\n### Impact\n\nA lower-privilege operator flow could cause an approved safe-bin command to read a node-local file that was not intended by the policy. Depending on the local files available to the node process, this could expose OpenClaw configuration data or other node-local information.\n\nThe issue is a policy-enforcement gap in argv validation, not a general statement that every safe-bin command is unsafe.\n\n### Patched Versions\n\nThe first stable patched version is `2026.5.18`.\n\n### Mitigations\n\nUpgrade to `openclaw@2026.5.18` or later. Before upgrading, avoid broad safe-bin auto-approval for commands that can read arbitrary paths, and prefer explicit approval for node commands that touch local files.","status":"published","published":"2026-07-02T16:05:38Z","modified":"2026-08-26T01:18:22.147356646Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.1,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L","level":"high"},{"version":"4.0","score":7.6,"vector":"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N","level":"high"}],"cwes":["CWE-200","CWE-284","CWE-367","CWE-78"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:46:51.811331Z"}]}}