Summary
OpenClaw: Host environment sanitizer missed two Node.js control variables
Full technical description
Host environment sanitizer missed two Node.js control variables. In affected versions, a lower-trust env source such as a workspace .env, tool env override, or skill env block could pass Node.js control variables through the shared sanitizer.
This advisory is scoped to the named feature and configuration. It does not change OpenClaw's trusted-operator model: authenticated Gateway operators, installed plugins, and intentional local execution surfaces remain trusted unless a separate policy, approval, allowlist, sandbox, or auth boundary is crossed.
Patched Versions
The first stable patched version is 2026.5.26.
Mitigations
avoid inheriting workspace or tool-supplied env values from untrusted repositories until patched. As general hardening, keep channel and tool allowlists narrow, avoid sharing one Gateway between mutually untrusted users, and disable the affected feature when it is not needed.
Impact
When the affected feature is enabled and reachable, this could influence a later Node.js child process or coverage output path when that process is launched under the accepted environment. Practical impact depends on the operator's configuration and whether lower-trust input can reach that path.
CVE-2026-53864 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. 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 (2026.5.26); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
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-2026-53864? CVE-2026-53864 is a high-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.5.22. It is fixed in 2026.5.26.
- How severe is CVE-2026-53864? CVE-2026-53864 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). 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.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by CVE-2026-53864? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.5.22 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53864? Yes. CVE-2026-53864 is fixed in 2026.5.26. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-53864 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-53864 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-2026-53864 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-2026-53864? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.5.26 or later.