CVE-2026-29608

In [email protected], node system.run approval-path hardening rewrote wrapper command argv in a way that changed execution semantics. A command shown/approved as a shell payload (for example echo SAFE) could execute a different local script when wrapper argv were rewritten.

Affected Packages / Versions

• Package: openclaw (npm)
• Affected: 2026.3.1 (latest published npm version as of March 2, 2026)
• Fixed release: 2026.3.2 (released)

Technical Details

Root cause was in node-host approval hardening for system.run:

• src/node-host/invoke-system-run-plan.ts rewrote argv[0] to the resolved executable.
• Wrapper resolution unwrapped dispatch wrappers, so input like ['env','sh','-c','echo SAFE'] resolved executable sh.
• The approved plan could become ['/bin/sh','sh','-c','echo SAFE'] while approval text remained echo SAFE.

That rewrite changed runtime behavior: /bin/sh interprets the extra sh positional argument as a script path, enabling execution of a local ./sh file from approved cwd instead of the approved payload text.

Fix Commit(s)

• dded569626b0d8e7bdab10b5e7528b6caf73a0f1

Fixed Version

• Patched in [email protected].

Approval-integrity break in host=node execution flow: operator-visible command text and executed behavior could diverge.

Exploit preconditions:

• attacker can influence wrapper argv and place a local file in approved working directory,
• operator grants approval for the displayed command.

CVE-2026-29608 has a CVSS score of 6.7 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2026.3.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2026-29608? CVE-2026-29608 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions = 2026.3.1. It is fixed in 2026.3.2.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-29608? CVE-2026-29608 has a CVSS score of 6.7 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-29608? openclaw (npm) versions = 2026.3.1 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-29608? Yes. CVE-2026-29608 is fixed in 2026.3.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-29608 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-29608 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-29608 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2026-29608? Upgrade openclaw to 2026.3.2 or later.