GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8: Openclaw OpenClaw Affected By BASH_ENV / Vulnerability

HIGH
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CWE-15 CWE-78
Published
Advisory Summary

GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 is a HIGH openclaw affected by bash_env / vulnerability (CWE-15: External Control of System or Configuration Setting) affecting Openclaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves openclaw affected by bash_env / env startup-file injection into spawned shell commands. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.2.21.

GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 at a Glance

CVE Identifier N/A
GHSA Identifier GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-15: External Control of System or Configuration Setting
Affected Product Openclaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8

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: 2026.2.21 
npm install openclaw@2026.2.21
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-w9cg-v44m-4qv8, 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 2026.2.21), 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-15: External Control of System or Configuration Setting, where one or more system settings or configuration elements can be externally controlled by a user. 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 `BASH_ENV` / `ENV` startup-file injection could lead to unintended pre-command shell execution when attacker-controlled environment values were admitted and then inherited by host command execution paths. ### Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected: `<= 2026.2.19-2` - Fixed on `main`: `2cdbadee1f8fcaa93302d7debbfc529e19868ea4` - Planned patched release version: `2026.2.21` ### Details The fix hardens environment handling across all relevant execution paths: - Blocks dangerous startup/runtime env keys and prefixes in shared host env sanitization. - Sanitizes inherited ambient environment even when no per-request overrides are provided. - Blocks dangerous config-driven env injection before values enter process environment. - Uses the same sanitizer in macOS host execution paths. - Aligns skill env override sanitization with the shared dangerous-env policy. ### Impact Medium. Exploitation requires local/privileged influence over configuration or environment inputs; there is no standalone remote unauthenticated trigger from this issue alone. ### Fix Commit(s) - `2cdbadee1f8fcaa93302d7debbfc529e19868ea4` ### Release Process Note `patched_versions` is pre-set to the planned next release (`2026.2.21`). Once npm `openclaw@2026.2.21` is published, the advisory can be published without further field edits. OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 Affected Openclaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.2.21
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.2.21
2026.2.21

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/2cdbadee1f8fcaa93302d7debbfc529e19868ea4
Openclaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8?
GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 is a security vulnerability in Openclaw involving OpenClaw affected by BASH_ENV / ENV startup-file injection into spawned shell commands under CWE-15: External Control of System or Configuration Setting.
Which Openclaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.2.21 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8?
Upgrading to 2026.2.21 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.2.21. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.2.21 or later.
What CWE is associated with GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8?
GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8 is classified under CWE-15: External Control of System or Configuration Setting (One or more system settings or configuration elements can be externally controlled by a user.).
How can I check npm dependencies for GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8?
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-w9cg-v44m-4qv8",
  "modified" : "2026-03-03T22:09:52Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-03T22:09:52Z",
  "aliases" : [ ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw affected by BASH_ENV / ENV startup-file injection into spawned shell commands",
  "details" : "### Summary\n`BASH_ENV` / `ENV` startup-file injection could lead to unintended pre-command shell execution when attacker-controlled environment values were admitted and then inherited by host command execution paths.\n\n### Affected Packages / Versions\n- Package: `openclaw` (npm)\n- Affected: `<= 2026.2.19-2`\n- Fixed on `main`: `2cdbadee1f8fcaa93302d7debbfc529e19868ea4`\n- Planned patched release version: `2026.2.21`\n\n### Details\nThe fix hardens environment handling across all relevant execution paths:\n- Blocks dangerous startup/runtime env keys and prefixes in shared host env sanitization.\n- Sanitizes inherited ambient environment even when no per-request overrides are provided.\n- Blocks dangerous config-driven env injection before values enter process environment.\n- Uses the same sanitizer in macOS host execution paths.\n- Aligns skill env override sanitization with the shared dangerous-env policy.\n\n### Impact\nMedium. Exploitation requires local/privileged influence over configuration or environment inputs; there is no standalone remote unauthenticated trigger from this issue alone.\n\n### Fix Commit(s)\n- `2cdbadee1f8fcaa93302d7debbfc529e19868ea4`\n\n### Release Process Note\n`patched_versions` is pre-set to the planned next release (`2026.2.21`). Once npm `openclaw@2026.2.21` is published, the advisory can be published without further field edits.\n\nOpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/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" : "2026.2.21"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-w9cg-v44m-4qv8"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/2cdbadee1f8fcaa93302d7debbfc529e19868ea4"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-15", "CWE-78" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-03T22:09:52Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}