OpenClaw Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability via Unverified Plugin Auto-Discovery

A vulnerability in OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.3.12 allows for arbitrary code execution through the automatic discovery and loading of plugins from the '.OpenClaw/extensions/' directory. This process occurs without any trust verification, enabling attackers to execute malicious code by including specially crafted workspace plugins in cloned repositories. The malicious code runs when OpenClaw is launched from the directory containing the compromised repository.

Impact

Exploiting this vulnerability could lead to arbitrary code execution under the user's account.

Remediation

Users are advised to update OpenClaw to version 2026.3.12 or later. After updating, it is recommended to avoid running OpenClaw in untrusted repositories.