CVE-2026-22168: Openclaw OpenClaw Has Windows System.run Approval Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-5v6x-rfc3-7qfr
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CWE-88 CWE-863
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-22168 is a HIGH openclaw has windows system.run approval vulnerability (CWE-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')) affecting Openclaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves openclaw has windows system.run approval mismatch on cmd.exe /c trailing arguments. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.2.21.

CVE-2026-22168 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-22168
GHSA Identifier GHSA-5v6x-rfc3-7qfr
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')
Affected Product Openclaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2026-22168

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 CVE-2026-22168, 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-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 A Windows `system.run` approval-integrity mismatch in the `cmd.exe /c` path could allow trailing arguments to execute while approval/audit text reflected only a benign command string. This requires an authenticated operator context using the approvals flow and a trusted Windows node. ### Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Latest published vulnerable version (as of 2026-02-21): `2026.2.19-2` - Vulnerable range: `<=2026.2.19-2` - Patched version (planned next release): `2026.2.21` ### Attack Scenario 1. An authenticated operator approval is created for a benign command text (for example, `echo`). 2. A `system.run` request uses `cmd.exe /c` with extra trailing arguments. 3. Prior behavior could bind approval/audit text to the benign command while still executing the full argument tail on the node. ### Impact - Local command execution on the trusted Windows node process account. - Approval/audit command text integrity mismatch. ### Fix - Canonicalize the full command tail after `cmd.exe /c`. - Reuse one shared command canonicalization/validation path for validation, approval matching, and execution/audit text. - Add regression coverage for trailing-argument smuggling and approval binding. ### Fix Commit(s) - `6007941f04df1edcca679dd6c95949744fdbd4df` ### Release Process Note `patched_versions` is pre-set to the planned next release (`2026.2.21`). Once that npm release is live, this advisory can be published directly. OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

CVE-2026-22168 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-5v6x-rfc3-7qfr
NVD — CVE-2026-22168 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22168
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/6007941f04df1edcca679dd6c95949744fdbd4df
Openclaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw... WEB
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-command-injection-via-cmd-exe-c-trailing-arguments-in-system-run

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-22168?
CVE-2026-22168 is a security vulnerability in Openclaw involving OpenClaw has Windows system.run approval mismatch on cmd.exe /c trailing arguments under CWE-88: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection').
Which Openclaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.2.21 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-22168?
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 CVE-2026-22168?
CVE-2026-22168 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-2026-22168?
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-5v6x-rfc3-7qfr",
  "modified" : "2026-03-19T21:20:03Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-02T22:15:53Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-22168" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw has Windows system.run approval mismatch on cmd.exe /c trailing arguments",
  "details" : "### Summary\nA Windows `system.run` approval-integrity mismatch in the `cmd.exe /c` path could allow trailing arguments to execute while approval/audit text reflected only a benign command string.\n\nThis requires an authenticated operator context using the approvals flow and a trusted Windows node.\n\n### Affected Packages / Versions\n- Package: `openclaw` (npm)\n- Latest published vulnerable version (as of 2026-02-21): `2026.2.19-2`\n- Vulnerable range: `<=2026.2.19-2`\n- Patched version (planned next release): `2026.2.21`\n\n### Attack Scenario\n1. An authenticated operator approval is created for a benign command text (for example, `echo`).\n2. A `system.run` request uses `cmd.exe /c` with extra trailing arguments.\n3. Prior behavior could bind approval/audit text to the benign command while still executing the full argument tail on the node.\n\n### Impact\n- Local command execution on the trusted Windows node process account.\n- Approval/audit command text integrity mismatch.\n\n### Fix\n- Canonicalize the full command tail after `cmd.exe /c`.\n- Reuse one shared command canonicalization/validation path for validation, approval matching, and execution/audit text.\n- Add regression coverage for trailing-argument smuggling and approval binding.\n\n### Fix Commit(s)\n- `6007941f04df1edcca679dd6c95949744fdbd4df`\n\n### Release Process Note\n`patched_versions` is pre-set to the planned next release (`2026.2.21`). Once that npm release is live, this advisory can be published directly.\n\nOpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/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-5v6x-rfc3-7qfr"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22168"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/6007941f04df1edcca679dd6c95949744fdbd4df"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-command-injection-via-cmd-exe-c-trailing-arguments-in-system-run"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-863", "CWE-88" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-02T22:15:53Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-03-18T02:16:20Z"
  }
}