High

OpenClaw has a path traversal in apply_patch could write/delete files outside the workspace

  • Disclosed: 19.02.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

Summary

In affected versions, when apply_patch was enabled and the agent ran without filesystem sandbox containment, crafted paths could cause file writes/deletes outside the configured workspace directory.

Affected Packages / Versions

  • Package: openclaw (npm)
  • Affected: <= 2026.2.13
  • Fixed: >= 2026.2.14

Details

The non-sandbox path resolution in apply_patch did not enforce workspace containment. Inputs like ../../... or absolute paths could escape the working directory in non-sandboxed mode.

Impact

Practical impact depends on deployment and who can trigger tool execution. This is most relevant when tool invocation is exposed to less-trusted callers or when operators expected workspace-only containment.

Workarounds

  • Keep tools.exec.applyPatch.enabled disabled if you do not need apply_patch.
  • Keep tools.exec.applyPatch.workspaceOnly at its secure default of true.
  • Restrict who can trigger tool execution (and which tools are allowlisted).

Configuration Note

tools.exec.applyPatch.workspaceOnly: false intentionally opts out of workspace containment and can re-enable outside-workspace writes/deletes.

Fix

Credits

Thanks to @p80n-sec for reporting this issue.

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
npm package openclaw < 2026.2.14 2026.2.14

References

CVSS score 8.8/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-22
Platform
npm
Package
openclaw
Disclosed
19.02.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-r5fq-947m-xm57 - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: openclaw

All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

All (589) in the archive
Total entries
589
First → latest
02.2026 10.2026
Without a fix
9
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 20
  • High 215
  • Medium 300
  • Low 54

Disclosures per year

  1. 2026: 589
Severity:
  1. OpenClaw has a path traversal in apply_patch could write/delete files outside the workspace this entry
    High · 8.8 CVE-2026-32060 < 2026.2.14 2026.2.14
  2. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-53811 < 2026.5.7 2026.5.7
  3. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-53806 < 2026.5.12 2026.5.12
  4. High · 7.8 CVE-2026-53813 < 2026.4.25 2026.4.25
  5. High · 7.5 CVE-2026-53834 < 2026.4.27 2026.4.27
  6. Critical CVE-2026-34507 < 2026.4.29 2026.4.29
  7. High CVE-2026-53823 < 2026.5.3 2026.5.3
  8. High · 8.4 CVE-2026-53814 < 2026.5.20 2026.5.20
  9. High · 6.5 CVE-2026-53815 < 2026.5.19 2026.5.19
  10. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-53849 < 2026.5.7 2026.5.7
  11. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-53857 < 2026.5.3 2026.5.3
  12. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-53866 < 2026.5.12 2026.5.12
  13. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-53864 < 2026.5.26 2026.5.26
  14. Critical · 9.8 CVE-2026-44109 < 2026.4.15 2026.4.15
  15. Critical · 8.1 CVE-2026-43585 < 2026.4.15 2026.4.15
  16. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-43530 >= 2026.2.23, < 2026.4.12 2026.4.12
  17. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-42434 >= 2026.4.5, < 2026.4.10 2026.4.10
  18. High · 7.5 CVE-2026-42437 >= 2026.4.9, < 2026.4.10 2026.4.10
Show more (20) Showing 61 of 235

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