Summary
Skill Workshop apply flow could override pending approval. In affected versions, an agent tool call reaching the affected Skill Workshop apply path could set apply: true despite approvalPolicy: pending.
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 2026.5.6.
Mitigations
review Skill Workshop changes manually and keep the tool restricted 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 apply a workshop change before the expected approval step. Practical impact depends on the operator's configuration and whether lower-trust input can reach that path.
GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. 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 (2026.5.6); 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.
Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2? GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.5.5. It is fixed in 2026.5.6.
- How severe is GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2? GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). 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 GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.5.5 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2? Yes. GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2 is fixed in 2026.5.6. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2 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-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2 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-CQWV-9QJX-VXW2? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.5.6 or later.