CVE-2026-29608: Openclaw OpenClaw's Node System.run Approval Hardening Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-h3rm-6x7g-882f
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CVSS 6.7
CWE-88
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-29608 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.7) openclaw's node system.run approval hardening vulnerability (CWE-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')) affecting Openclaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves openclaw's node system.run approval hardening wrapper semantic drift can execute unintended local scripts. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.3.2.

CVE-2026-29608 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-29608
GHSA Identifier GHSA-h3rm-6x7g-882f
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.7
CWE Classification CWE-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')
Affected Product Openclaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.7

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

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity High (AC:H)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2026-29608

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: 2026.3.2 
npm install openclaw@2026.3.2
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-2026-29608, 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 2026.3.2), 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-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection'), where the product constructs a string for a command to be executed by a separate component in another control sphere, but it does not properly delimit the intended arguments, options, or switches within that command string. 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 In `openclaw@2026.3.1`, node `system.run` approval-path hardening rewrote wrapper command argv in a way that changed execution semantics. A command shown/approved as a shell payload (for example `echo SAFE`) could execute a different local script when wrapper argv were rewritten. ### Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected: `2026.3.1` (latest published npm version as of March 2, 2026) - Fixed release: `2026.3.2` (released) ### Technical Details Root cause was in node-host approval hardening for `system.run`: - `src/node-host/invoke-system-run-plan.ts` rewrote `argv[0]` to the resolved executable. - Wrapper resolution unwrapped dispatch wrappers, so input like `['env','sh','-c','echo SAFE']` resolved executable `sh`. - The approved plan could become `['/bin/sh','sh','-c','echo SAFE']` while approval text remained `echo SAFE`. That rewrite changed runtime behavior: `/bin/sh` interprets the extra `sh` positional argument as a script path, enabling execution of a local `./sh` file from approved `cwd` instead of the approved payload text. ### Impact Approval-integrity break in `host=node` execution flow: operator-visible command text and executed behavior could diverge. Exploit preconditions: - attacker can influence wrapper argv and place a local file in approved working directory, - operator grants approval for the displayed command. ### Fix Commit(s) - `dded569626b0d8e7bdab10b5e7528b6caf73a0f1` ### Fixed Version - Patched in `openclaw@2026.3.2`.

CVE-2026-29608 Affected Openclaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.3.2
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
≥ 2026.3.1
< 2026.3.2
All 1 versions
2026.3.1
2026.3.2

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-h3rm-6x7g-882f
NVD — CVE-2026-29608 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-29608
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/dded569626b0d8e7bdab10b5e7528b6caf73a0f1
Openclaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw... WEB
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-approval-integrity-bypass-via-system-run-argv-rewriting

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-29608?
CVE-2026-29608 is a security vulnerability in Openclaw involving OpenClaw's Node system.run approval hardening wrapper semantic drift can execute unintended local scripts under CWE-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection').
Which Openclaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.3.2 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-29608?
Upgrading to 2026.3.2 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.3.2. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.3.2 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-29608?
CVE-2026-29608 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.7 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-29608?
CVE-2026-29608 is classified under CWE-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection') (The product constructs a string for a command to be executed by a separate component in another control sphere, but it does not properly delimit the intended arguments, options, or switches within that command string.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-29608?
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-h3rm-6x7g-882f",
  "modified" : "2026-03-19T21:22:05Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-03T21:19:08Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-29608" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw's Node system.run approval hardening wrapper semantic drift can execute unintended local scripts",
  "details" : "### Summary\nIn `openclaw@2026.3.1`, node `system.run` approval-path hardening rewrote wrapper command argv in a way that changed execution semantics. A command shown/approved as a shell payload (for example `echo SAFE`) could execute a different local script when wrapper argv were rewritten.\n\n### Affected Packages / Versions\n- Package: `openclaw` (npm)\n- Affected: `2026.3.1` (latest published npm version as of March 2, 2026)\n- Fixed release: `2026.3.2` (released)\n\n### Technical Details\nRoot cause was in node-host approval hardening for `system.run`:\n- `src/node-host/invoke-system-run-plan.ts` rewrote `argv[0]` to the resolved executable.\n- Wrapper resolution unwrapped dispatch wrappers, so input like `['env','sh','-c','echo SAFE']` resolved executable `sh`.\n- The approved plan could become `['/bin/sh','sh','-c','echo SAFE']` while approval text remained `echo SAFE`.\n\nThat rewrite changed runtime behavior: `/bin/sh` interprets the extra `sh` positional argument as a script path, enabling execution of a local `./sh` file from approved `cwd` instead of the approved payload text.\n\n### Impact\nApproval-integrity break in `host=node` execution flow: operator-visible command text and executed behavior could diverge.\n\nExploit preconditions:\n- attacker can influence wrapper argv and place a local file in approved working directory,\n- operator grants approval for the displayed command.\n\n### Fix Commit(s)\n- `dded569626b0d8e7bdab10b5e7528b6caf73a0f1`\n\n### Fixed Version\n- Patched in `openclaw@2026.3.2`.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2026.3.1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.3.2"
      } ]
    } ],
    "versions" : [ "2026.3.1" ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-h3rm-6x7g-882f"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-29608"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/dded569626b0d8e7bdab10b5e7528b6caf73a0f1"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-approval-integrity-bypass-via-system-run-argv-rewriting"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-88" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-03T21:19:08Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}