CVE-2026-53836: OpenClaw PowerShell Encoded-command Aliases Could Miss Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-j472-gf56-x589
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CVSS 8.8
CWE-184
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-53836 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.8) powershell encoded-command aliases could miss vulnerability (CWE-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs) affecting OpenClaw libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves powershell encoded-command aliases could miss exec allowlist checks. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2026.5.12.

CVE-2026-53836 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-53836
GHSA Identifier GHSA-j472-gf56-x589
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.8
CWE Classification CWE-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs
Affected Product OpenClaw
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.8

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

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2026-53836

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: 2026.5.12 
npm install openclaw@2026.5.12
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-2026-53836, 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 2026.5.12), 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-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs, where the product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are not allowed by policy or otherwise require other action to neutralize before additional processing takes place, but the list is incomplete. 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 PowerShell encoded-command aliases could miss exec allowlist checks. In affected versions, a command request using abbreviated encoded-command flags could use an alias form not recognized by the allowlist parser. This advisory is scoped to the named feature and configuration. It does not change OpenClaw's trusted-operator model: authenticated Gateway operators, installed plugins, and intentional local execution surfaces remain trusted unless a separate policy, approval, allowlist, sandbox, or auth boundary is crossed. ### Impact When the affected feature is enabled and reachable, this could run encoded PowerShell content without the intended allowlist decision. Practical impact depends on the operator's configuration and whether lower-trust input can reach that path. ### Patched Versions The first stable patched version is `2026.5.12`. ### Mitigations Avoid allowlisting PowerShell wrapper forms and require approval for encoded commands until patched. As general hardening, keep channel and tool allowlists narrow, avoid sharing one Gateway between mutually untrusted users, and disable the affected feature when it is not needed.

CVE-2026-53836 Affected OpenClaw Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2026.5.12
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openclaw
npm/openclaw
npm
< 2026.5.12
2026.5.12

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-j472-gf56-x589
NVD — CVE-2026-53836 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53836
OpenClaw Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw... WEB
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-allowlist-bypass-via-powershell-encoded-command-aliases

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-53836?
CVE-2026-53836 is a security vulnerability in OpenClaw involving PowerShell encoded-command aliases could miss exec allowlist checks under CWE-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs.
Which OpenClaw versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2026.5.12 across affected packages: openclaw.
What version fixes CVE-2026-53836?
Upgrading to 2026.5.12 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openclaw affected?
Yes, openclaw is affected in releases prior to 2026.5.12. Upgrade your dependency to 2026.5.12 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-53836?
CVE-2026-53836 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-53836?
CVE-2026-53836 is classified under CWE-184: Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs (The product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are not allowed by policy or otherwise require other action to neutralize before additional processing takes place, but the list is incomplete.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-53836?
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-j472-gf56-x589",
  "modified" : "2026-08-25T16:39:28Z",
  "published" : "2026-07-02T17:22:52Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-53836" ],
  "summary" : "OpenClaw: PowerShell encoded-command aliases could miss exec allowlist checks",
  "details" : "### Summary\n\nPowerShell encoded-command aliases could miss exec allowlist checks. In affected versions, a command request using abbreviated encoded-command flags could use an alias form not recognized by the allowlist parser.\n\nThis advisory is scoped to the named feature and configuration. It does not change OpenClaw's trusted-operator model: authenticated Gateway operators, installed plugins, and intentional local execution surfaces remain trusted unless a separate policy, approval, allowlist, sandbox, or auth boundary is crossed.\n\n### Impact\n\nWhen the affected feature is enabled and reachable, this could run encoded PowerShell content without the intended allowlist decision. Practical impact depends on the operator's configuration and whether lower-trust input can reach that path.\n\n### Patched Versions\n\nThe first stable patched version is `2026.5.12`.\n\n### Mitigations\n\nAvoid allowlisting PowerShell wrapper forms and require approval for encoded commands until patched. As general hardening, keep channel and tool allowlists narrow, avoid sharing one Gateway between mutually untrusted users, and disable the affected feature when it is not needed.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/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" : "2026.5.12"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2026.5.7"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-j472-gf56-x589"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53836"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-allowlist-bypass-via-powershell-encoded-command-aliases"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-184" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-07-02T17:22:52Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}