CVE-2026-53861: OpenClaw MacOS Swift Exec Allowlist Missed Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-c226-q6fx-6j6c
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CVSS 6.6
CWE-184
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-53861 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.6) macos swift exec allowlist missed vulnerability (CWE-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs) affecting OpenClaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves macos swift exec allowlist missed combined posix inline flags. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.5.6.

CVE-2026-53861 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-53861
GHSA Identifier GHSA-c226-q6fx-6j6c
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.6
CWE Classification CWE-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs
Affected Product OpenClaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.6

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:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N).

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

How to Fix CVE-2026-53861

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: 2026.5.6 
npm install openclaw@2026.5.6
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-2026-53861, 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 2026.5.6), 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-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs, where the product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are not allowed by policy or otherwise require other action to neutralize before additional processing takes place, but the list is incomplete. 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 macOS Swift exec allowlist missed combined POSIX inline flags. In affected versions, a command request using combined POSIX inline-command flags could miss inline-command content expressed through combined flags. 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 shell content outside the intended allowlist check. 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 `2026.5.6`. ### Mitigations require approval for combined shell flag forms on macOS 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.

CVE-2026-53861 Affected OpenClaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.5.6
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.5.6
2026.5.6

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-c226-q6fx-6j6c
NVD — CVE-2026-53861 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53861
OpenClaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw... WEB
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-allowlist-bypass-via-combined-posix-inline-flags-on-macos

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-53861?
CVE-2026-53861 is a security vulnerability in OpenClaw involving macOS Swift exec allowlist missed combined POSIX inline flags under CWE-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs.
Which OpenClaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.5.6 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-53861?
Upgrading to 2026.5.6 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.5.6. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.5.6 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-53861?
CVE-2026-53861 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.6 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-53861?
CVE-2026-53861 is classified under CWE-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs (The product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are not allowed by policy or otherwise require other action to neutralize before additional processing takes place, but the list is incomplete.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-53861?
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-c226-q6fx-6j6c",
  "modified" : "2026-06-18T14:52:24Z",
  "published" : "2026-06-18T14:52:24Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-53861" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw: macOS Swift exec allowlist missed combined POSIX inline flags",
  "details" : "### Summary\n\nmacOS Swift exec allowlist missed combined POSIX inline flags. In affected versions, a command request using combined POSIX inline-command flags could miss inline-command content expressed through combined flags.\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 shell content outside the intended allowlist check. 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 `2026.5.6`.\n\n### Mitigations\n\nrequire approval for combined shell flag forms on macOS 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_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.5.6"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2026.5.5"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-c226-q6fx-6j6c"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53861"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-allowlist-bypass-via-combined-posix-inline-flags-on-macos"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-184" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-06-18T14:52:24Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}