CVE-2026-42427: OpenClaw Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-7437-7hg8-frrw
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CWE-78 CWE-184
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-42427 is a HIGH remote code execution vulnerability (CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')) affecting OpenClaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves hgrcpath, cargo_build_rustc_wrapper, rustc_wrapper, and makeflags missing from exec env denylist — rce via build tool env injection (ghsa-cm8v-2vh9-cxf3 class). Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.4.8.

CVE-2026-42427 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-42427
GHSA Identifier GHSA-7437-7hg8-frrw
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Affected Product OpenClaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2026-42427

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: 2026.4.8 
npm install openclaw@2026.4.8
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-2026-42427, 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 2026.4.8), 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-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection'), where the product constructs all or part of an os command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended os command when it is sent to a downstream component. 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

## Impact HGRCPATH, CARGO_BUILD_RUSTC_WRAPPER, RUSTC_WRAPPER, and MAKEFLAGS missing from exec env denylist — RCE via build tool env injection (GHSA-cm8v-2vh9-cxf3 class). Missing denylist entries allowed hostile build-tool environment variables to influence host exec commands. OpenClaw is a user-controlled local assistant. This advisory is scoped to the OpenClaw trust model and does not assume a multi-tenant service boundary. ## Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected versions: `< 2026.4.8` - Patched versions: `2026.4.8` ## Fix The issue was fixed on `main` and is available in the patched npm version listed above. The verified fixed tree is commit `d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5`. ## Verification The fix was re-checked against `main` before publication, including targeted regression tests for the affected security boundary. ## Credits Thanks @boy-hack of Tencent zhuque Lab (https://github.com/Tencent/AI-Infra-Guard) for reporting.

CVE-2026-42427 Affected OpenClaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.4.8
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.4.8
2026.4.8

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-7437-7hg8-frrw
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5
OpenClaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-42427?
CVE-2026-42427 is a security vulnerability in OpenClaw involving HGRCPATH, CARGO_BUILD_RUSTC_WRAPPER, RUSTC_WRAPPER, and MAKEFLAGS missing from exec env denylist — RCE via build tool env injection (GHSA-cm8v-2vh9-cxf3 class) under CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection').
Which OpenClaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.4.8 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-42427?
Upgrading to 2026.4.8 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.4.8. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.4.8 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-42427?
CVE-2026-42427 is classified under CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') (The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-42427?
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-7437-7hg8-frrw",
  "modified" : "2026-04-28T18:29:08Z",
  "published" : "2026-04-09T14:22:29Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-42427" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw: HGRCPATH, CARGO_BUILD_RUSTC_WRAPPER, RUSTC_WRAPPER, and MAKEFLAGS missing from exec env denylist — RCE via build tool env injection (GHSA-cm8v-2vh9-cxf3 class)",
  "details" : "## Impact\n\nHGRCPATH, CARGO_BUILD_RUSTC_WRAPPER, RUSTC_WRAPPER, and MAKEFLAGS missing from exec env denylist — RCE via build tool env injection (GHSA-cm8v-2vh9-cxf3 class).\n\nMissing denylist entries allowed hostile build-tool environment variables to influence host exec commands.\n\nOpenClaw is a user-controlled local assistant. This advisory is scoped to the OpenClaw trust model and does not assume a multi-tenant service boundary.\n\n## Affected Packages / Versions\n\n- Package: `openclaw` (npm)\n- Affected versions: `< 2026.4.8`\n- Patched versions: `2026.4.8`\n\n## Fix\n\nThe issue was fixed on `main` and is available in the patched npm version listed above. The verified fixed tree is commit `d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5`.\n\n## Verification\n\nThe fix was re-checked against `main` before publication, including targeted regression tests for the affected security boundary.\n\n## Credits\nThanks @boy-hack of Tencent zhuque Lab (https://github.com/Tencent/AI-Infra-Guard) for reporting.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/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" : "2026.4.8"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-7437-7hg8-frrw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-184", "CWE-78" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-04-09T14:22:29Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}