CVE-2026-32032
OpenClaw's shell env fallback trusts unvalidated SHELL path from host environment
Description
The shell environment fallback path could invoke an attacker-controlled shell when `SHELL` was inherited from an untrusted host environment. In affected builds, shell-env loading used `$SHELL -l -c 'env -0'` without validating that `SHELL` points to a trusted executable. In threat-model terms, this requires local environment compromise or untrusted startup environment injection first; it is not a remote pre-auth path. The hardening patch validates `SHELL` as an absolute normalized executable, prefers `/etc/shells`, applies trusted-prefix fallback checks, and falls back safely to `/bin/sh` when validation fails. The dangerous env-var policy now also blocks `SHELL` overrides. ## Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected versions: `<= 2026.2.21-2` - Latest published vulnerable version: `2026.2.21-2` - Patched versions (planned next release): `>= 2026.2.22` ## Fix Commit(s) - `25e89cc86338ef475d26be043aa541dfdb95e52a` ## Release Process Note The advisory pre-sets `patched_versions` to the planned next release (`2026.2.22`). After that npm release is published, maintainers can publish this advisory without further version-field edits. OpenClaw thanks @athuljayaram for reporting.
How to fix CVE-2026-32032
To remediate CVE-2026-32032, upgrade the affected package to a fixed version below.
- —upgrade to 2026.2.22 or later
Is CVE-2026-32032 being exploited?
Low — EPSS is 0.0%, meaning exploitation activity has not been observed at scale.
Affected packages (1)
- from 0, < 2026.2.22