Which versions of OpenClaw are affected by CVE-2026-53822?

OpenClaw versions before 2026.5.18 contain a vulnerability in the command execution approval workflow that allows authenticated users to modify approved commands between approval and execution,…. A patch is available.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2026-53822?

Within 24 hours: Identify all OpenClaw deployments and confirm which are running versions prior to 2026.5.18; document current versions in use. Within 7 days: Restrict access to OpenClaw approval workflows and administrative functions to essential personnel; implement detailed audit logging of all command modifications and executions. Within 30 days: Monitor for release of patched version 2026.5.18; apply patch immediately upon vendor release; validate remediation through security testing.

OpenClaw CVE-2026-53822

Q: What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-53822?

CVE-2026-53822 has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.7 (High). CVSS vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.2%.

EUVD-2026-36610 HIGH

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

2026-06-12 VulnCheck

GHSA-8v2r-mv47-wxfr

Command Injection Openclaw

8.7

CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: VulnCheck

Severity by source

Vendor (VulnCheck) PRIMARY

8.7 HIGH

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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

vuln.today AI

7.5 HIGH

Network-reachable wrapper with authenticated low-priv access (PR:L); winning the approval/execution race raises AC:H; successful bypass yields full CIA impact within the vulnerable system.

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

4.0 AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck).

CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Lifecycle Timeline

Patch available

Jun 13, 2026 - 02:00 EUVD

Analysis Generated

Jun 12, 2026 - 22:30 vuln.today

DescriptionCVE.org

OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 contains a command injection vulnerability where shell wrapper argv could change between approval and execution. Attackers can rebuild command arguments after allowlist approval to execute unapproved command shapes, potentially bypassing security controls.

AnalysisAI

Command injection in OpenClaw before 2026.5.18 allows authenticated attackers to modify shell wrapper argv between approval and execution, bypassing the allowlist enforcement. The TOCTOU-style race against the approval gate lets attackers execute unapproved command shapes with the application's privileges, with no public exploit identified at time of analysis but a vendor advisory published via GHSA.

Technical ContextAI

OpenClaw uses a shell wrapper that validates command arguments against an allowlist before execution. The flaw is a classic CWE-367 Time-of-Check Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition: argv is inspected at approval time, then the wrapper hands off to execution where the argument vector can be rebuilt or substituted. Because the validation and execution operate on separate views of the argument state, an attacker who controls inputs to the wrapper can present a benign command shape during the allowlist check and a different shape at execution, defeating the security boundary intended by the wrapper.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: upgrade OpenClaw to 2026.5.18 or later per the GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698 advisory (https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698). If immediate upgrade is not possible, restrict access to the shell wrapper endpoint so that only fully trusted operators can submit commands (this removes most of the delegated-execution value the wrapper provides), disable any feature that allows untrusted callers to influence argv after the allowlist check, and audit recently executed commands for argv shapes that do not match approved patterns. Monitor the VulnCheck advisory (https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-command-argument-modification-via-shell-wrapper-between-approval-and-execution) for further mitigation guidance.