CVE-2026-28393: Openclaw OpenClaw's Hook Transform Module Path Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-7xhj-55q9-pc3m",
  "modified" : "2026-03-06T01:00:08Z",
  "published" : "2026-03-03T18:09:54Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-28393" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw's hook transform module path allows traversal and arbitrary JavaScript module loading",
  "details" : "## Summary\n\nOpenClaw hook mapping transforms could be loaded via absolute paths or `..` traversal, allowing arbitrary JavaScript module loading/execution in the gateway process when an attacker can modify hooks configuration.\n\n## Affected Versions\n\n- Affected: >= 2.0.0-beta3 and <= 2026.2.13\n- Fixed: 2026.2.14\n\n## Details\n\n`hooks.mappings[].transform.module` is dynamically imported and executed during webhook processing. Path resolution previously accepted absolute paths and did not enforce containment for relative paths, so a config-controlled transform could resolve outside the intended transforms directory.\n\n## Impact\n\nIf an attacker can write the OpenClaw config (or otherwise update hooks config through authenticated configuration mechanisms), they could point a hook mapping transform at an arbitrary module on disk and execute code with the gateway process privileges.\n\n## Reproduction (config-controlled module load)\n\n1. Configure a hook mapping that points to a transform path that escapes the transforms directory (for example via `..` traversal).\n2. Place a malicious ESM module at the resolved location that executes arbitrary code in the gateway process.\n3. Trigger the hook endpoint with the correct hook token.\n\n## Fix\n\nTransform loading is now constrained to the OpenClaw transforms root directory:\n\n- Root: `~/.openclaw/hooks/transforms`\n- `hooks.transformsDir` must be within that directory\n- `transform.module` must be within the selected transforms directory\n\nAttempts to escape the root (absolute paths outside, `..` traversal) are rejected.\n\nFix commit(s):\n\n- a0361b8ba959e8506dc79d638b6e6a00d12887e4\n- 18e8bd68c5015a894f999c6d5e6e32468965bfb5\n\n## Credits\n\nOpenClaw thanks @akhmittra for reporting.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "openclaw"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.0.0-beta3"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2026.2.14"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2026.2.13"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-7xhj-55q9-pc3m"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-28393"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/18e8bd68c5015a894f999c6d5e6e32468965bfb5"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/a0361b8ba959e8506dc79d638b6e6a00d12887e4"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-beta-arbitrary-javascript-module-loading-via-hook-transform-path-traversal"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-22", "CWE-427" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-03-03T18:09:54Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-03-05T22:16:15Z"
  }
}