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OpenClaw: system.run wrapper-depth boundary could skip shell approval gating

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Mar 8, 2026 in openclaw/openclaw • Updated Mar 9, 2026

Package

npm openclaw (npm)

Affected versions

<= 2026.3.2

Patched versions

2026.3.7

Description

OpenClaw's system.run dispatch-wrapper handling applied different depth-boundary rules to shell-wrapper approval detection and execution planning.

With exactly four transparent dispatch wrappers such as repeated env invocations before /bin/sh -c, the approval classifier could stop treating the command as a shell wrapper at the depth boundary while execution planning still unwrapped through to the shell payload. In security=allowlist mode, that mismatch could skip the expected approval-required path for the shell wrapper invocation.

Latest published npm version: 2026.3.2

Fixed on main on March 7, 2026 in 2fc95a7cfc1eb9306356510b0251b6d51fb1c0b0 by keeping shell-wrapper classification active at the configured dispatch depth boundary and only failing closed beyond that boundary. This aligns approval gating with the execution plan. Legitimate shallow dispatch-wrapper usage continues to work.

Affected Packages / Versions

  • Package: openclaw (npm)
  • Affected versions: <= 2026.3.2
  • Patched version: >= 2026.3.7

Fix Commit(s)

  • 2fc95a7cfc1eb9306356510b0251b6d51fb1c0b0

Release Process Note

npm 2026.3.7 was published on March 8, 2026. This advisory is fixed in the released package.

Thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

References

@steipete steipete published to openclaw/openclaw Mar 8, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Mar 9, 2026
Reviewed Mar 9, 2026
Last updated Mar 9, 2026

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

EPSS score

Weaknesses

Interpretation Conflict

Product A handles inputs or steps differently than Product B, which causes A to perform incorrect actions based on its perception of B's state. Learn more on MITRE.

Incorrect Authorization

The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

No known CVE

GHSA ID

GHSA-r6qf-8968-wj9q

Source code

Credits

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