GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698: OpenClaw Shell Wrapper Argv Could Change Vulnerability

HIGH
Share
CWE-284
Published
Advisory Summary

GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698 is a HIGH shell wrapper argv could change vulnerability (CWE-284: Improper Access Control) affecting OpenClaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves shell wrapper argv could change between approval and execution. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.5.18.

GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698 at a Glance

CVE Identifier N/A
GHSA Identifier GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-284: Improper Access Control
Affected Product OpenClaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected OpenClaw dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Openclaw fixed: 2026.5.18 
npm install Openclaw@2026.5.18
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

npm ls Openclaw

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls Openclaw

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of OpenClaw in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2026.5.18), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls Openclaw command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-284: Improper Access Control, where the product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor. In OpenClaw, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

### Summary Shell wrapper argv could change between approval and execution. In affected versions, a command request using a shell wrapper form could approve one resolved argv shape and rebuild another for execution. This advisory is scoped to the named feature and configuration. It does not change OpenClaw's trusted-operator model: authenticated Gateway operators, installed plugins, and intentional local execution surfaces remain trusted unless a separate policy, approval, allowlist, sandbox, or auth boundary is crossed. ### Impact When the affected feature is enabled and reachable, this could run a command shape that was not checked against the allowlist. Practical impact depends on the operator's configuration and whether lower-trust input can reach that path. ### Patched Versions The first stable patched version is `2026.5.18`. ### Mitigations require explicit approval for shell wrappers and avoid durable allowlists for wrapper-heavy commands until patched. As general hardening, keep channel and tool allowlists narrow, avoid sharing one Gateway between mutually untrusted users, and disable the affected feature when it is not needed.

GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698 Affected OpenClaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.5.18
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
Openclaw
npm/Openclaw
npm
< 2026.5.18
2026.5.18

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698
OpenClaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698?
GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698 is a security vulnerability in OpenClaw involving Shell wrapper argv could change between approval and execution under CWE-284: Improper Access Control.
Which OpenClaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.5.18 across affected packages: Openclaw.
What version fixes GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698?
Upgrading to 2026.5.18 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is Openclaw affected?
Yes, Openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.5.18. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.5.18 or later.
What CWE is associated with GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698?
GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698 is classified under CWE-284: Improper Access Control (The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.).
How can I check npm dependencies for GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls Openclaw'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698",
  "modified" : "2026-07-02T15:57:49Z",
  "published" : "2026-07-02T15:57:49Z",
  "aliases" : [ ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw: Shell wrapper argv could change between approval and execution",
  "details" : "### Summary\n\nShell wrapper argv could change between approval and execution. In affected versions, a command request using a shell wrapper form could approve one resolved argv shape and rebuild another for execution.\n\nThis advisory is scoped to the named feature and configuration. It does not change OpenClaw's trusted-operator model: authenticated Gateway operators, installed plugins, and intentional local execution surfaces remain trusted unless a separate policy, approval, allowlist, sandbox, or auth boundary is crossed.\n\n### Impact\n\nWhen the affected feature is enabled and reachable, this could run a command shape that was not checked against the allowlist. Practical impact depends on the operator's configuration and whether lower-trust input can reach that path.\n\n### Patched Versions\n\nThe first stable patched version is `2026.5.18`.\n\n### Mitigations\n\nrequire explicit approval for shell wrappers and avoid durable allowlists for wrapper-heavy commands until patched. As general hardening, keep channel and tool allowlists narrow, avoid sharing one Gateway between mutually untrusted users, and disable the affected feature when it is not needed.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "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"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "Openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.5.18"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2026.5.16"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-2j8v-hwgc-x698"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-284" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-07-02T15:57:49Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}