GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2: Openclaw OpenClaw Hook Transform Path Containment Vulnerability

HIGH
Share
CWE-94
Published
Advisory Summary

GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2 is a HIGH openclaw hook transform path containment vulnerability (CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')) affecting Openclaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves openclaw hook transform path containment missed symlink-resolved escapes. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.2.22.

GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2 at a Glance

CVE Identifier N/A
GHSA Identifier GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
Affected Product Openclaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2

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 GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2, 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-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection'), where the product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment. 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

## Vulnerability Webhook transform modules were validated with lexical path checks only. A symlink under the allowed hooks transform tree could resolve outside the intended directory and be dynamically imported. ## Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected versions: `<= 2026.2.21-2` - Patched version (planned next release): `2026.2.22` ## Impact When an attacker can cause a transform module path to reference a symlinked entry that resolves outside the trusted transform directory, the gateway may import and execute unintended JavaScript with gateway-process privileges. ## Attack Preconditions - Hook transforms are enabled and reachable. - Attacker can influence transform path resolution (for example via privileged config access and/or writable filesystem path in the transform tree). - A symlink escape exists to attacker-controlled code. ## Remediation - Enforce realpath-aware containment for existing path ancestors before dynamic import. - Keep lexical containment checks for traversal and absolute-path escapes. - Add regression coverage for: - transform module symlink escape rejection, - `hooks.transformsDir` symlink escape rejection, - in-root symlink allow-case. ## Fix Commit(s) - `f4dd0577b055f77af783105bd65eae32f3d5e6a1` OpenClaw thanks @aether-ai-agent for reporting.

GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2 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-659f-22xc-98f2
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/f4dd0577b055f77af783105bd65eae32f3d5e6a1
Openclaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2?
GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2 is a security vulnerability in Openclaw involving OpenClaw hook transform path containment missed symlink-resolved escapes under CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection').
Which Openclaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.2.22 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2?
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 CWE is associated with GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2?
GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2 is classified under CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') (The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment.).
How can I check npm dependencies for GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2?
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-659f-22xc-98f2",
  "modified" : "2026-03-03T23:00:53Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-03T23:00:53Z",
  "aliases" : [ ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw hook transform path containment missed symlink-resolved escapes",
  "details" : "## Vulnerability\n\nWebhook transform modules were validated with lexical path checks only. A symlink under the allowed hooks transform tree could resolve outside the intended directory and be dynamically imported.\n\n## Affected Packages / Versions\n\n- Package: `openclaw` (npm)\n- Affected versions: `<= 2026.2.21-2`\n- Patched version (planned next release): `2026.2.22`\n\n## Impact\n\nWhen an attacker can cause a transform module path to reference a symlinked entry that resolves outside the trusted transform directory, the gateway may import and execute unintended JavaScript with gateway-process privileges.\n\n## Attack Preconditions\n\n- Hook transforms are enabled and reachable.\n- Attacker can influence transform path resolution (for example via privileged config access and/or writable filesystem path in the transform tree).\n- A symlink escape exists to attacker-controlled code.\n\n## Remediation\n\n- Enforce realpath-aware containment for existing path ancestors before dynamic import.\n- Keep lexical containment checks for traversal and absolute-path escapes.\n- Add regression coverage for:\n  - transform module symlink escape rejection,\n  - `hooks.transformsDir` symlink escape rejection,\n  - in-root symlink allow-case.\n\n## Fix Commit(s)\n\n- `f4dd0577b055f77af783105bd65eae32f3d5e6a1`\n\nOpenClaw thanks @aether-ai-agent for reporting.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/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" : "2026.2.22"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2026.2.21-2"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-659f-22xc-98f2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/f4dd0577b055f77af783105bd65eae32f3d5e6a1"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-94" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-03T23:00:53Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}