Summary
OpenClaw: Message action attachment hydration bypasses local media root checks when sandboxRoot is unset
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Latest published npm version at triage:
2026.2.23 - Vulnerable:
<= 2026.2.23 - Patched in code:
>= 2026.2.24(planned next release)
Fix Commit(s)
- 270ab03e379f9653e15f7033c9830399b66b7e51
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (>= 2026.2.24). Once that npm release is published, this advisory can be published without further field edits.
OpenClaw thanks @GCXWLP for reporting.
Publication Update (2026-02-25)
[email protected] is published on npm and contains the fix commit(s) listed above. This advisory now marks >= 2026.2.24 as patched.
Impact
sendAttachment and setGroupIcon message actions could hydrate media from local absolute paths when sandboxRoot was unset, bypassing intended local media root checks. This could allow reads of arbitrary host files reachable by the runtime user when an authorized message-action path was triggered.
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
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 openclaw 2026.2.24 or later once published.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-27522? CVE-2026-27522 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.2.23. It is fixed in 2026.2.24. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-27522? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.2.23 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-27522? Yes. CVE-2026-27522 is fixed in 2026.2.24. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-27522 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-27522 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-2026-27522 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-2026-27522? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.24 or later.