OpenClaw: Node-host approvals could show misleading shell payloads instead of the executed argv
Summary
In affected versions of openclaw, node-host system.run approvals could display only an extracted shell payload such as jq --version while execution still ran a different outer wrapper argv such as ./env sh -c 'jq --version'.
Impact
This is an approval-integrity bug. An attacker who could place or select a local wrapper binary and induce a wrapper-shaped command could get local code executed after the operator approved misleading command text.
Affected Packages and Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= 2026.3.8 - Fixed in:
2026.3.11
Technical Details
Wrapper resolution normalized executables by basename and extracted inner shell payload text for approval display, while execution still preserved the full wrapper argv. Approval storage and UI therefore showed text that did not match the exact command OpenClaw would execute.
Fix
OpenClaw now binds approvals to the exact executed argv and keeps extracted shell payload text only as secondary preview data. The fix shipped in openclaw@2026.3.11.
Workarounds
Upgrade to 2026.3.11 or later.
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm package | openclaw | < 2026.3.11 | 2026.3.11 |
References
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-rw39-5899-8mxp
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32971
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/releases/tag/v2026.3.11
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-node-host-approval-ui-mismatch-allows-execution-of-unintended-commands
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-436, CWE-863- Platform
- npm
- Package
openclaw- Disclosed
- 13.03.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-rw39-5899-8mxp - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: openclaw
All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 588
- First → latest
- 02.2026 07.2026
- Without a fix
- 9
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 20
- High 215
- Medium 299
- Low 54
Disclosures per year
- 2026: 588
-
OpenClaw: Node-host approvals could show misleading shell payloads instead of the executed argv this entry
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