Summary
OpenClaw's skills-install-download can be redirected outside the tools root by rebinding the validated base path
OpenClaw's skills download installer validated the intended per-skill tools root lexically, but later reused that mutable path while downloading and copying the archive into place. If a local attacker could rebind that tools-root path between validation and the final write, the installer could be redirected to write outside the intended tools directory.
The fix pins the canonical per-skill tools root immediately after validation and derives later download/copy paths from that canonical root, so rebinding the lexical path fails closed instead of redirecting the write.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Latest published vulnerable version:
2026.3.7 - Affected range:
<= 2026.3.7 - Fixed in released version:
2026.3.8
Fix Commit(s)
9abf014f3502009faf9c73df5ca2cff719e54639
Release Verification
- Verified fixed in GitHub release
v2026.3.8published on March 9, 2026. - Verified
npm view openclaw versionresolves to2026.3.8. - Verified the release contains the regression test covering tools-root rebinding and that the test passes against the
v2026.3.8tree.
Thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
Impact
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-33574? CVE-2026-33574 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.3.7. It is fixed in 2026.3.8.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-33574? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.3.7 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-33574? Yes. CVE-2026-33574 is fixed in 2026.3.8. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-33574 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-33574 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-2026-33574 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-2026-33574? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.3.8 or later.