Summary
OpenClaw: Reject symlinks in local skill packaging script
Vulnerability
skills/skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py (a local helper script used when authors package skills) previously followed symlinks while building .skill archives.
If an author runs this script on a crafted local skill directory containing symlinks to files outside the skill root, the resulting archive can include unintended file contents.
Severity and Exposure
- Severity: Low
- Execution context: local/manual workflow only (skill author packaging step)
- No remote trigger: this is not reachable via normal OpenClaw gateway/chat runtime paths
- No extraction Zip Slip in this finding: this issue is limited to packaging-time symlink following
Affected Components
skills/skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Latest published version during triage:
2026.2.17 - Vulnerable version range:
<= 2026.2.17 - Planned patched version (next release):
2026.2.18
Fix Commit(s)
c275932aa4230fb7a8212fe1b9d2a18424874b3fee1d6427b544ccadd73e02b1630ea5c29ba9a9f0
Related PR
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.18). Once npm [email protected] is published, this advisory is ready to publish without additional edits.
Thanks @aether-ai-agent for reporting.
Impact
- Potential unintentional disclosure of local files from the packaging machine into a generated
.skillartifact. - Requires local execution of the packaging script on attacker-controlled skill contents.
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
- Reject symlinks during skill packaging.
- Add regression tests for symlink file and symlink directory cases.
- Update packaging guidance to document the symlink restriction.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-27485? CVE-2026-27485 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.2.18. It is fixed in 2026.2.19.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-27485? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.2.18 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-27485? Yes. CVE-2026-27485 is fixed in 2026.2.19. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-27485 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-27485 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-2026-27485 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-2026-27485? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.19 or later.