CVE-2026-41295: OpenClaw Untrusted Workspace Channel Shadows Could Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-2qrv-rc5x-2g2h
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CWE-829
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-41295 is a MODERATE untrusted workspace channel shadows could vulnerability (CWE-829: Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere) affecting OpenClaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves untrusted workspace channel shadows could execute during built-in channel setup. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.4.2.

CVE-2026-41295 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-41295
GHSA Identifier GHSA-2qrv-rc5x-2g2h
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-829: Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere
Affected Product OpenClaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2026-41295

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: 2026.4.2 
npm install openclaw@2026.4.2
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 CVE-2026-41295, 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 2026.4.2), 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-829: Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere, where the product imports, requires, or includes executable functionality (such as a library) from a source that is outside of the intended control sphere. 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 Before OpenClaw 2026.4.2, built-in channel setup and login could resolve an untrusted workspace channel shadow before the plugin was explicitly trusted. A malicious workspace plugin that claimed a bundled channel id could execute during channel setup even while still disabled. ## Impact A cloned workspace could turn channel setup for a built-in channel into unintended in-process code execution from an untrusted workspace plugin. This bypassed the intended workspace-plugin trust boundary during setup and login. ## Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected versions: `<= 2026.4.1` - Patched versions: `>= 2026.4.2` - Latest published npm version: `2026.4.1` ## Fix Commit(s) - `53c29df2a9eb242a70d0ff29f3d1e67c8d6801f0` — ignore untrusted workspace channel shadows during setup resolution ## Release Process Note The fix is present on `main` and is staged for OpenClaw `2026.4.2`. Publish this advisory after the `2026.4.2` npm release is live. Thanks @zpbrent for reporting.

CVE-2026-41295 Affected OpenClaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.4.2
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.4.2
2026.4.2

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-2qrv-rc5x-2g2h
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/53c29df2a9eb242a70d0ff29f3d1e67c8d6801f0
OpenClaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-41295?
CVE-2026-41295 is a security vulnerability in OpenClaw involving Untrusted workspace channel shadows could execute during built-in channel setup under CWE-829: Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere.
Which OpenClaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.4.2 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-41295?
Upgrading to 2026.4.2 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.4.2. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.4.2 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-41295?
CVE-2026-41295 is classified under CWE-829: Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere (The product imports, requires, or includes executable functionality (such as a library) from a source that is outside of the intended control sphere.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-41295?
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-2qrv-rc5x-2g2h",
  "modified" : "2026-04-20T23:44:01Z",
  "published" : "2026-04-07T18:15:41Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-41295" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw: Untrusted workspace channel shadows could execute during built-in channel setup",
  "details" : "## Summary\n\nBefore OpenClaw 2026.4.2, built-in channel setup and login could resolve an untrusted workspace channel shadow before the plugin was explicitly trusted. A malicious workspace plugin that claimed a bundled channel id could execute during channel setup even while still disabled.\n\n## Impact\n\nA cloned workspace could turn channel setup for a built-in channel into unintended in-process code execution from an untrusted workspace plugin. This bypassed the intended workspace-plugin trust boundary during setup and login.\n\n## Affected Packages / Versions\n\n- Package: `openclaw` (npm)\n- Affected versions: `<= 2026.4.1`\n- Patched versions: `>= 2026.4.2`\n- Latest published npm version: `2026.4.1`\n\n## Fix Commit(s)\n\n- `53c29df2a9eb242a70d0ff29f3d1e67c8d6801f0` — ignore untrusted workspace channel shadows during setup resolution\n\n## Release Process Note\n\nThe fix is present on `main` and is staged for OpenClaw `2026.4.2`. Publish this advisory after the `2026.4.2` npm release is live.\n\nThanks @zpbrent for reporting.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.4.2"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2026.4.1"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-2qrv-rc5x-2g2h"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/53c29df2a9eb242a70d0ff29f3d1e67c8d6801f0"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-829" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-04-07T18:15:41Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}