OpenClaw Allowlist Bypass Vulnerability in Exec Analysis

A vulnerability allowing allowlist bypass in OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.22 has been identified. The issue arises in the 'system.run' execution analysis, which fails to properly unwrap environment and shell-dispatch wrapper chains. This oversight enables attackers to route execution through wrapper binaries, such as 'env' or 'bash', to smuggle payloads and circumvent intended allowlist restrictions.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability allows for bypassing execution allowlists, potentially leading to unauthorized command execution under allowlisted policies.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by invoking 'system.run' with a command that includes an allowlisted wrapper, such as 'env' or 'bash', followed by a payload that is not allowlisted. The execution will bypass the allowlist restrictions and execute the payload.

Remediation

Users can update to OpenClaw version 2026.2.22 or later to address this vulnerability.