Summary
OpenClaw: Untrusted workspace channel shadows could execute during built-in channel setup
Before OpenClaw 2026.4.2, built-in channel setup and login could resolve an untrusted workspace channel shadow before the plugin was explicitly trusted. A malicious workspace plugin that claimed a bundled channel id could execute during channel setup even while still disabled.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= 2026.4.1 - Patched versions:
>= 2026.4.2 - Latest published npm version:
2026.4.1
Fix Commit(s)
53c29df2a9eb242a70d0ff29f3d1e67c8d6801f0, ignore untrusted workspace channel shadows during setup resolution
Release Process Note
The fix is present on main and is staged for OpenClaw 2026.4.2. Publish this advisory after the 2026.4.2 npm release is live.
Thanks @zpbrent for reporting.
Impact
A cloned workspace could turn channel setup for a built-in channel into unintended in-process code execution from an untrusted workspace plugin. This bypassed the intended workspace-plugin trust boundary during setup and login.
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-2026-41295? CVE-2026-41295 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.4.1. It is fixed in 2026.4.2.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-41295? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.4.1 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-41295? Yes. CVE-2026-41295 is fixed in 2026.4.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-41295 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-41295 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-2026-41295 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-2026-41295? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.4.2 or later.