CVE-2026-28466: Openclaw Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-gv46-4xfq-jv58",
  "modified" : "2026-03-06T01:05:53Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-02T23:24:54Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-28466" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw Vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via Node Invoke Approval Bypass in Gateway",
  "details" : "### Summary\n\nA remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in the gateway-to-node invocation path allowed an authenticated gateway client to bypass node-host exec approvals by injecting internal control fields into `node.invoke` parameters.\n\n### Affected Component\n\n- Gateway method: `node.invoke` for node command `system.run`\n- Node host runner: exec approval gating for `system.run`\n\n### Impact\n\nIf an attacker can authenticate to a gateway (for example via a leaked/shared gateway token or a paired device token with `operator.write`), they could execute arbitrary commands on connected node hosts that support `system.run`. This can lead to full compromise of developer workstations, CI runners, and servers running the node host.\n\n### Technical Details\n\nThe gateway forwarded user-controlled `params` to node hosts without sanitizing internal approval fields. The node host treated `params.approved === true` and/or `params.approvalDecision` as sufficient to skip the approval workflow.\n\n### Fix\n\nPatched in **OpenClaw `2026.2.14`**.\n\n- Commits:\n  - `318379cdb8d045da0009b0051bd0e712e5c65e2d`\n  - `a7af646fdab124a7536998db6bd6ad567d2b06b0`\n  - `c1594627421f95b6bc4ad7c606657dc75b5ad0ce`\n  - `0af76f5f0e93540efbdf054895216c398692afcd`\n- Gateway strips untrusted approval control fields from `system.run` user input.\n- Gateway only re-attaches approval flags when `params.runId` references a valid `exec.approval.request` record and the request context matches. Approval IDs are bound to the requesting device identity (stable across reconnects), preventing replay by other clients.\n- Gateway forwards only an allowlisted set of `system.run` parameters, preventing future control-field smuggling.\n\n### Mitigations\n\n- Upgrade to `2026.2.14` or later.\n- Restrict access to the gateway (do not expose it to untrusted networks/users).\n- Rotate gateway credentials if you suspect token/password exposure.\n- Disable remote command execution on nodes by blocking `system.run` at the gateway (`gateway.nodes.denyCommands`) and/or by configuring node exec security to `deny`.\n\n### Credits\n\nOpenClaw thanks @222n5 for reporting this issue.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.2.14"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-gv46-4xfq-jv58"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-28466"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/0af76f5f0e93540efbdf054895216c398692afcd"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/318379cdb8d045da0009b0051bd0e712e5c65e2d"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/a7af646fdab124a7536998db6bd6ad567d2b06b0"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/c1594627421f95b6bc4ad7c606657dc75b5ad0ce"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-remote-code-execution-via-node-invoke-approval-bypass"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-20", "CWE-441", "CWE-863" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-02T23:24:54Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-03-05T22:16:19Z"
  }
}