Summary
OpenClaw's exec allowlist wrapper analysis did not unwrap env/shell dispatch chains
system.run exec allowlist analysis treated wrapper binaries as the effective executable and did not fully unwrap env/shell-dispatch wrappers.
This allowed wrapper-smuggled payloads (for example env bash -lc ...) to satisfy an allowlist entry for the wrapper while executing non-allowlisted commands.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected:
<= 2026.2.21-2 - Patched in next release:
2026.2.22(pre-set below so publish can happen immediately after npm release)
Fix Commit(s)
2b63592be57782c8946e521bc81286933f0f99c7
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (>= 2026.2.22).
After npm 2026.2.22 is published, this advisory can be published directly without further metadata edits.
OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
Impact
On affected versions, an actor who can trigger system.run requests under an allowlist policy could bypass intended allowlist restrictions by routing execution through wrapper binaries.
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-27566? CVE-2026-27566 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-2026-27566? openclaw (npm) versions < 2026.2.22 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-27566? Yes. CVE-2026-27566 is fixed in 2026.2.22. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-27566 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-27566 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-2026-27566 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-2026-27566? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.22 or later.