What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-31997?

CVE-2026-31997 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.0 (Medium). CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.0%.

Which versions of Openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-31997?

CVE-2026-31997 presents moderate security risk rated CVSS 6.0. Exploitation could compromise the security of affected deployments.. A patch is available.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2026-31997?

Within 30 days: Identify affected systems and apply vendor patches as part of regular patch cycle. Monitor vendor channels for patch availability.

Openclaw CVE-2026-31997

EUVD-2026-13033 MEDIUM

Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition (CWE-367)

2026-03-19 VulnCheck

GHSA-q399-23r3-hfx4

Information Disclosure Openclaw

6.0

CVSS 3.1 · NVD

Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY

6.0 MEDIUM

AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

High

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

Required

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

None

Lifecycle Timeline

Patch released

Mar 31, 2026 - 21:13 nvd

Patch available

EUVD ID Assigned

Mar 19, 2026 - 01:30 euvd

EUVD-2026-13033

Analysis Generated

Mar 19, 2026 - 01:30 vuln.today

CVE Published

Mar 19, 2026 - 01:00 nvd

MEDIUM 6.0

DescriptionCVE.org

OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.3.1 fail to pin executable identity for non-path-like argv[0] tokens in system.run approvals, allowing post-approval executable rebind attacks. Attackers can modify PATH resolution after approval to execute a different binary than the operator approved, enabling arbitrary command execution.

AnalysisAI

OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.3.1 contain a post-approval executable rebind vulnerability in the system.run approval mechanism that fails to pin executable identity when argv[0] is not a full path. An attacker with local access and low privileges can modify PATH environment variables after an operator approves a command execution to redirect the approval to execute a different binary, achieving arbitrary command execution with the privileges of the OpenClaw process. The vulnerability has a moderate CVSS score of 6.0 reflecting local attack vector and high privilege requirements, but poses significant risk in environments where approval workflows are relied upon for security boundaries.

Technical ContextAI

The vulnerability stems from CWE-367 (Time-of-check Time-of-use Race Condition) in OpenClaw's system.run approval workflow. When an operator approves command execution with a non-fully-qualified executable name (e.g., 'mycommand' instead of '/usr/bin/mycommand'), OpenClaw fails to resolve and pin the absolute executable identity at approval time. Instead, the actual binary resolution occurs at execution time via standard PATH lookup. This creates a race window where an attacker can modify PATH environment variables between approval and execution, causing the system to execute a malicious binary placed in an attacker-controlled directory that appears earlier in the modified PATH. The affected product OpenClaw (cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*) implements an approval-based security model that is fundamentally bypassed by this design flaw.

RemediationAI

Immediately upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.3.1 or later, which implements executable identity pinning at approval time for all argv[0] tokens regardless of path qualification. Follow the patching guidance in the official GitHub security advisory at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-q399-23r3-hfx4. As an interim mitigation for organizations unable to patch immediately, restrict the PATH environment variable to a minimal set of system directories owned and protected by root, implement filesystem monitoring to detect unauthorized modifications to directories in PATH, and enforce strict file permissions (mode 0755 or more restrictive) on all executable locations referenced by OpenClaw approvals. Additionally, audit existing approval policies to ensure all critical commands use fully-qualified paths (/usr/bin/command format) to defeat PATH-based attacks. Organizations should also review access controls limiting which users can modify environment variables in the OpenClaw execution context.