{"id":"GHSA-9868-vxmx-w862","summary":"OpenClaw's system.run allowlist bypass via shell line-continuation command substitution","details":"### Summary\nIn OpenClaw `system.run` allowlist mode, shell-wrapper analysis could be bypassed by splitting command substitution as `$\\\\` + newline + `(` inside double quotes. Analysis treated the payload as allowlisted (for example `/bin/echo`), while shell runtime folded the line continuation into `$(...)` and executed non-allowlisted subcommands.\n\n### Affected Packages / Versions\n- Package: npm `openclaw`\n- Latest published affected version: `2026.2.21-2`\n- Affected range: `\u003c=2026.2.21-2`\n- Patched version (planned next release): `2026.2.22`\n\n### Impact\nIn deployments that opt into `tools.exec.security=allowlist` (with `ask=on-miss` or `off`), this can bypass approval boundaries and lead to unintended command execution.\n\n### Fix Commit(s)\n- `3f0b9dbb36c86e308267924c0d3d4a4e1fc4d1e9`\n\n### Remediation\n- Upgrade to `2026.2.22` (or newer) when published.\n- Temporary mitigation: set `tools.exec.ask=always` or `tools.exec.security=deny`.\n\n### Release Process Note\n`patched_versions` is pre-set to planned next release `2026.2.22`. After npm release is out, this advisory should be ready for direct publish without additional metadata edits.\n\nOpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.","aliases":["CVE-2026-28460"],"modified":"2026-03-19T21:41:20.806988Z","published":"2026-03-03T19:53:22Z","database_specific":{"nvd_published_at":null,"cwe_ids":["CWE-78","CWE-863"],"severity":"MODERATE","github_reviewed":true,"github_reviewed_at":"2026-03-03T19:53:22Z"},"references":[{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-9868-vxmx-w862"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-28460"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/3f0b9dbb36c86e308267924c0d3d4a4e1fc4d1e9"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-allowlist-bypass-via-shell-line-continuation-command-substitution-in-system-run"}],"affected":[{"package":{"name":"openclaw","ecosystem":"npm","purl":"pkg:npm/openclaw"},"ranges":[{"type":"SEMVER","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2026.2.22"}]}],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2026/03/GHSA-9868-vxmx-w862/GHSA-9868-vxmx-w862.json"}}],"schema_version":"1.9.0"}