CVE-2026-32020: Openclaw OpenClaw's Control UI Static File Vulnerability

LOW
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-5ghc-98wh-gwwf
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CVSS 3.3
CWE-22
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-32020 is a LOW (CVSS 3.3) openclaw's control ui static file vulnerability (CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')) affecting Openclaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves openclaw's control ui static file handler follows symlinks and allows out-of-root file read. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.2.22.

CVE-2026-32020 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-32020
GHSA Identifier GHSA-5ghc-98wh-gwwf
Severity LOW
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 3.3
CWE Classification CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Affected Product Openclaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 3.3

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2026-32020

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: 2026.2.22 
npm install openclaw@2026.2.22
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-2026-32020, 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 2026.2.22), 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-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'), where the product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. 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 The Control UI static file handler previously validated asset paths lexically and then served files with APIs that follow symbolic links. A symlink placed under the Control UI root could cause out-of-root file reads. ### Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Latest published version observed: `2026.2.21-2` - Affected versions: `<=2026.2.21-2` - Planned fixed release version: `2026.2.22` ### Technical Details The vulnerable flow was in `src/gateway/control-ui.ts`, where `path.join(...)` + string-prefix checks were followed by file reads that resolved symlinks. This allowed directory-confinement bypasses when symlinks existed inside the Control UI root. The fix now enforces realpath containment and verifies file identity before serving Control UI assets and SPA fallback `index.html`. ### Impact - Vulnerability type: path traversal / external file exposure via symlink following. - Primary impact: confidentiality (out-of-root file read). - Severity guidance: low in supported trusted-operator deployments; can be higher in unsupported shared-writable setups. ### Fix Commit(s) - `7c500ff6236fa087ec1ec88696ca9f6881e90dc5` ### Release Process Note `patched_versions` is pre-set to the planned next release (`2026.2.22`). After npm release is available, publish the advisory. OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

CVE-2026-32020 Affected Openclaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.2.22
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.2.22
2026.2.22

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-5ghc-98wh-gwwf
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/7c500ff6236fa087ec1ec88696ca9f6881e90dc5
Openclaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-32020?
CVE-2026-32020 is a security vulnerability in Openclaw involving OpenClaw's Control UI Static File Handler Follows Symlinks and Allows Out-of-Root File Read under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal').
Which Openclaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.2.22 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-32020?
Upgrading to 2026.2.22 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.2.22. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.2.22 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-32020?
CVE-2026-32020 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 3.3 (LOW) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-32020?
CVE-2026-32020 is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') (The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-32020?
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-5ghc-98wh-gwwf",
  "modified" : "2026-03-19T22:23:09Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-02T22:19:03Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-32020" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw's Control UI Static File Handler Follows Symlinks and Allows Out-of-Root File Read",
  "details" : "### Summary\nThe Control UI static file handler previously validated asset paths lexically and then served files with APIs that follow symbolic links. A symlink placed under the Control UI root could cause out-of-root file reads.\n\n### Affected Packages / Versions\n- Package: `openclaw` (npm)\n- Latest published version observed: `2026.2.21-2`\n- Affected versions: `<=2026.2.21-2`\n- Planned fixed release version: `2026.2.22`\n\n### Technical Details\nThe vulnerable flow was in `src/gateway/control-ui.ts`, where `path.join(...)` + string-prefix checks were followed by file reads that resolved symlinks. This allowed directory-confinement bypasses when symlinks existed inside the Control UI root.\n\nThe fix now enforces realpath containment and verifies file identity before serving Control UI assets and SPA fallback `index.html`.\n\n### Impact\n- Vulnerability type: path traversal / external file exposure via symlink following.\n- Primary impact: confidentiality (out-of-root file read).\n- Severity guidance: low in supported trusted-operator deployments; can be higher in unsupported shared-writable setups.\n\n### Fix Commit(s)\n- `7c500ff6236fa087ec1ec88696ca9f6881e90dc5`\n\n### Release Process Note\n`patched_versions` is pre-set to the planned next release (`2026.2.22`). After npm release is available, publish the advisory.\n\nOpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.2.22"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-5ghc-98wh-gwwf"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/7c500ff6236fa087ec1ec88696ca9f6881e90dc5"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-22" ],
    "severity" : "LOW",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-02T22:19:03Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}