Summary
OpenClaw has macOS system.run allowlist bypass via quoted command substitution
In OpenClaw's macOS node-host path, system.run allowlist parsing in security=allowlist mode failed to reject command substitution tokens when they appeared inside double-quoted shell text.
Because of that gap, payloads like echo "ok $(id)" could be treated as allowlist hits (first executable token echo) while still executing non-allowlisted subcommands through shell substitution.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package: npm
openclaw - Latest published affected version:
2026.2.21-2 - Affected range:
<= 2026.2.21-2 - Patched version (planned next release):
2026.2.22
Notes:
- Default installs are not affected (
security=denyby default). - The issue requires opting into
security=allowliston the macOS node-host path.
Preconditions
- Target uses macOS node-host / companion-app execution path.
- Exec approvals set to
security=allowlist. - Ask mode is
on-missoroff. - Allowlist contains a benign executable used in a shell wrapper flow (for example
/bin/echo).
Reproduction (example)
Use a shell-wrapper command where the visible executable is allowlisted but the quoted payload contains substitution:
- command argv:
/bin/sh -lc 'echo "ok $(/usr/bin/id > /tmp/openclaw-poc-rce)"' - allowlist pattern includes
/bin/echo
Before the fix, allowlist analysis could resolve this as allowlisted while shell substitution still executed.
Fix Commit(s)
90a378ca3a9ecbf1634cd247f17a35f4612c6ca6
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to planned next release 2026.2.22. After npm release is out, advisory can be published directly.
OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
Impact
Approval/authorization bypass in allowlist mode that can lead to unintended command execution on the node host.
Untrusted input reaches a shell command, allowing arbitrary commands to run on the host. Typical impact: code execution in the application's environment.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
- Upgrade to
2026.2.22(or newer) when released. - Temporary mitigation: set ask mode to
alwaysor set security mode todeny.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-22179? CVE-2026-22179 is a high-severity OS command injection vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions < 2026.2.22. It is fixed in 2026.2.22. Untrusted input reaches a shell command, allowing arbitrary commands to run on the host.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-22179? openclaw (npm) versions < 2026.2.22 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-22179? Yes. CVE-2026-22179 is fixed in 2026.2.22. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-22179 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-22179 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-22179 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-22179? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.22 or later.