Summary
OpenClaw: Hardlink alias checks could bypass workspace-only file boundaries in specific configurations
In certain workspace-restricted configurations, OpenClaw could follow hardlink aliases inside the workspace that reference files outside the workspace boundary.
By default, tools.fs.workspaceOnly is off. This primarily affects deployments that intentionally enable workspace-only filesystem restrictions (and workspace-only apply_patch checks).
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Latest published version at triage time:
2026.2.24 - Affected range:
<= 2026.2.24 - Planned patched version:
2026.2.25
Fix Commit(s)
04d91d0319b82fd4de91ed05e9fc5219ff2ab64e(main)
Impact
- Confidentiality: out-of-workspace files could be read through in-workspace hardlink aliases.
- Integrity: out-of-workspace files could be modified through in-workspace hardlink aliases.
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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OpenClaw now rejects hardlinked final-file aliases during workspace boundary validation for:
- workspace-only path checks (
read/write/edit) - workspace-only
apply_patchread/write paths - sandbox mount-root path-safety checks
Regression tests were added for apply_patch, workspace fs tools, and sandbox fs bridge hardlink alias escapes.
OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-3JX4-Q2M7-R496? GHSA-3JX4-Q2M7-R496 is a high-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.2.24. It is fixed in 2026.2.25.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by GHSA-3JX4-Q2M7-R496? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.2.24 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-3JX4-Q2M7-R496? Yes. GHSA-3JX4-Q2M7-R496 is fixed in 2026.2.25. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-3JX4-Q2M7-R496 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-3JX4-Q2M7-R496 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 GHSA-3JX4-Q2M7-R496 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 GHSA-3JX4-Q2M7-R496? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.25 or later.