Summary
A sandbox boundary-validation gap in symlink alias handling allowed certain workspace-only write paths to be treated as in-boundary even when they could resolve outside the workspace/sandbox root.
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package: npm
openclaw - Affected versions:
<= 2026.2.25 - Latest published npm version included in affected range:
2026.2.25(checked on February 26, 2026) - Patched version (pre-set for release):
2026.2.26
Technical Details
In affected versions, dangling symlink hops could be accepted during boundary checks under missing-target conditions. For workspace-only write flows (including apply_patch), this could allow writes to resolve outside the configured workspace/sandbox boundary.
The fix resolves symlink targets through existing ancestors and fails closed when canonical resolution escapes the configured boundary.
Fix Commit(s)
4fd29a35bb85a1898ebff518364c467058b50e14
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.26) so once npm 2026.2.26 is published, the advisory can be published without further field edits.
Thanks @tdjackey for reporting.
Impact
- Boundary-confined write operations could be redirected outside the configured workspace/sandbox root.
- Primary impact is integrity of host-side files reachable from that path resolution.
GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M has a CVSS score of 7.0 (High). The vector is requires local access, 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 (2026.2.26); 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.
Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M? GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M is a high-severity security vulnerability in openclaw (npm), affecting versions <= 2026.2.25. It is fixed in 2026.2.26.
- How severe is GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M? GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M has a CVSS score of 7.0 (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 GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M? openclaw (npm) versions <= 2026.2.25 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M? Yes. GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M is fixed in 2026.2.26. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-QCC4-P59M-P54M 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-QCC4-P59M-P54M 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-QCC4-P59M-P54M? Upgrade
openclawto 2026.2.26 or later.