Summary
OpenClaw hook transform path containment missed symlink-resolved escapes
Vulnerability
Webhook transform modules were validated with lexical path checks only. A symlink under the allowed hooks transform tree could resolve outside the intended directory and be dynamically imported.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Affected versions:
<= 2026.2.21-2 - Patched version (planned next release):
2026.2.22
Attack Preconditions
- Hook transforms are enabled and reachable.
- Attacker can influence transform path resolution (for example via privileged config access and/or writable filesystem path in the transform tree).
- A symlink escape exists to attacker-controlled code.
Fix Commit(s)
f4dd0577b055f77af783105bd65eae32f3d5e6a1
OpenClaw thanks @aether-ai-agent for reporting.
Impact
When an attacker can cause a transform module path to reference a symlinked entry that resolves outside the trusted transform directory, the gateway may import and execute unintended JavaScript with gateway-process privileges.
Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment. Typical impact: arbitrary code execution within the application's privilege context.
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.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
- Enforce realpath-aware containment for existing path ancestors before dynamic import.
- Keep lexical containment checks for traversal and absolute-path escapes.
- Add regression coverage for:
- transform module symlink escape rejection,
hooks.transformsDirsymlink escape rejection,- in-root symlink allow-case.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-659F-22XC-98F2? GHSA-659F-22XC-98F2 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.2.21-2. It is fixed in 2026.2.22. Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment.
- Which versions of openclaw are affected by GHSA-659F-22XC-98F2? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.2.21-2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-659F-22XC-98F2? Yes. GHSA-659F-22XC-98F2 is fixed in 2026.2.22. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-659F-22XC-98F2 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-659F-22XC-98F2 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-659F-22XC-98F2 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-659F-22XC-98F2? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.22 or later.