Which versions of OpenClaw are affected by CVE-2026-59261?

OpenClaw before version 2026.5.28 allows workspace members with input path write access to inject malicious .env files that override trusted provider credentials, exposing secrets across security…. A patch is available.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2026-59261?

Within 24 hours: Audit all OpenClaw deployments and identify which actors currently have write permissions to configured workspace input paths. Within 7 days: Deploy OpenClaw 2026.5.28 to staging; prioritize production systems storing API keys, cloud credentials, or database passwords. Within 30 days: Complete upgrade to 2026.5.28 across all environments and implement filesystem access controls restricting input path write permissions to trusted operators only.

OpenClaw CVE-2026-59261

Q: What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-59261?

CVE-2026-59261 has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.4 (High). CVSS vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/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: 0.1%.

EUVD-2026-42322 HIGH

Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs (CWE-184)

2026-07-08 VulnCheck

GHSA-rwrg-63c8-2784

Information Disclosure Openclaw

8.4

CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: VulnCheck

Severity by source

Vendor (VulnCheck) PRIMARY

8.4 HIGH

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

5.6 MEDIUM

Attacker needs low-trust write access to local input paths (AV:L, PR:L) and a user must load the config (UI:R); primary impact is credential disclosure (C:H) with limited integrity from override (I:L) and no availability impact.

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

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

Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck).

CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

Scope

Lifecycle Timeline

Patch available

Jul 08, 2026 - 18:02 EUVD

Analysis Generated

Jul 08, 2026 - 16:58 vuln.today

DescriptionCVE.org

OpenClaw before 2026.5.28 contains a credential exposure vulnerability where workspace dotenv files can override provider credentials. Attackers with lower-trust access to configured input paths can expose sensitive data and credentials that should remain within trusted boundaries.

AnalysisAI

Credential exposure in OpenClaw before 2026.5.28 lets a lower-trust actor who can write to a workspace's configured input paths plant a dotenv file that overrides trusted provider credentials, causing sensitive secrets to leak across intended trust boundaries. VulnCheck reported the issue and it is fixed in 2026.5.28; there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and it is not listed in CISA KEV. The vendor CVSS 4.0 base score is 8.4 (High), reflecting high confidentiality and integrity impact but requiring local path access and user interaction.

Technical ContextAI

OpenClaw loads environment configuration from dotenv (.env) files located in the workspace, and these workspace-scoped files are permitted to override provider credentials that are supposed to come from a higher-trust source. The root cause maps to CWE-184 (Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs): OpenClaw's precedence/allow-list logic fails to exclude or distinguish untrusted workspace dotenv entries from trusted credential sources, so a low-trust .env silently supersedes the intended values. Because dotenv resolution keys off filesystem input paths rather than a trust label, any principal able to write those paths can influence which credentials the application resolves and exposes. The single affected package is identified by CPE cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*, with all versions prior to 2026.5.28 in scope.

RemediationAI

Upgrade to OpenClaw 2026.5.28 or later, which is the vendor-released patch for CVE-2026-59261, per GHSA-4pqj-3c56-5fqq (https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-4pqj-3c56-5fqq). Until you can upgrade, restrict who can write to the workspace's configured input paths so that only trusted principals can place .env files there (tightening filesystem permissions on those directories is the highest-value control, at the cost of blocking legitimate low-trust contributors from staging config); avoid running OpenClaw over untrusted or multi-tenant workspaces, and remove or relocate any workspace-level dotenv files that carry provider credentials so trusted credentials come only from a higher-trust source such as a secrets manager or protected environment. Also review VulnCheck's advisory (https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-credential-override-via-workspace-dotenv-files) and rotate any provider credentials that may have been exposed through an overriding dotenv file.