High

OpenClaw has multiple E2E/test Dockerfiles that run all processes as root

  • Disclosed: 03.03.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

Three Dockerfiles in scripts/docker/ and scripts/e2e/ lack a USER directive, meaning all processes run as uid 0 (root). If any process is compromised, the attacker has root inside the container, making container breakout significantly easier. Partial fix (2026-02-08): Commit 28e1a65e added USER sandbox to Dockerfile.sandbox and Dockerfile.sandbox-browser. The E2E/test Dockerfiles listed below remain unpatched.

Affected components:

  • scripts/e2e/Dockerfile
  • scripts/e2e/Dockerfile.qr-import
  • scripts/docker/install-sh-e2e/Dockerfile
  • scripts/docker/install-sh-nonroot/Dockerfile (runs as app but with NOPASSWD sudo — see related advisory)

Technical Reproduction:

  1. Open each Dockerfile listed above and search for a USER directive — none found.
  2. Run any of these containers: docker run --rm -it <image> id
  3. Observe: returns uid=0(root).

Demonstrated Impact:

  • Root inside the container enables kernel exploit attempts, volume mount abuse, and privileged syscall access.
  • Test images share the same base (node:22-bookworm) as production, creating risk of accidental deployment of root-running images.

Environment: Base images node:22-bookworm and node:22-bookworm-slim default to root. Dockerfile.sandbox and Dockerfile.sandbox-browser were remediated in commit 28e1a65e; only the E2E/test images listed above remain affected.

Remediation: Add a USER directive before CMD/ENTRYPOINT in each remaining Dockerfile: RUN useradd --create-home --shell /bin/bash appuser USER appuser

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
npm package openclaw < 2026.2.21 2026.2.21

References

CVSS score -
CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-250
Platform
npm
Package
openclaw
Disclosed
03.03.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-w7j5-j98m-w679 - 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.

All (588) in the archive
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

  1. 2026: 588
Severity:
  1. OpenClaw has multiple E2E/test Dockerfiles that run all processes as root this entry
    High ghsa-w7j5-j98m-w679 < 2026.2.21 2026.2.21
  2. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-53811 < 2026.5.7 2026.5.7
  3. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-53806 < 2026.5.12 2026.5.12
  4. High · 7.8 CVE-2026-53813 < 2026.4.25 2026.4.25
  5. High · 7.5 CVE-2026-53834 < 2026.4.27 2026.4.27
  6. Critical CVE-2026-34507 < 2026.4.29 2026.4.29
  7. High CVE-2026-53823 < 2026.5.3 2026.5.3
  8. High · 8.4 CVE-2026-53814 < 2026.5.20 2026.5.20
  9. High · 6.5 CVE-2026-53815 < 2026.5.19 2026.5.19
  10. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-53849 < 2026.5.7 2026.5.7
  11. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-53857 < 2026.5.3 2026.5.3
  12. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-53866 < 2026.5.12 2026.5.12
  13. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-53864 < 2026.5.26 2026.5.26
  14. Critical · 9.8 CVE-2026-44109 < 2026.4.15 2026.4.15
  15. Critical · 8.1 CVE-2026-43585 < 2026.4.15 2026.4.15
  16. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-43530 >= 2026.2.23, < 2026.4.12 2026.4.12
  17. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-42434 >= 2026.4.5, < 2026.4.10 2026.4.10
  18. High · 7.5 CVE-2026-42437 >= 2026.4.9, < 2026.4.10 2026.4.10
  19. High CVE-2026-41393 < 2026.3.31 2026.3.31
  20. Critical · 8.2 CVE-2026-41296 < 2026.3.31 2026.3.31
  21. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-41352 < 2026.3.31 2026.3.31
  22. High · 7.8 CVE-2026-41396 < 2026.3.31 2026.3.31
Show more (20) Showing 81 of 235

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