OpenClaw has a CWD `.env` environment variable injection which bypasses host-env policy and allows config takeover

CVE-2026-41294 → View on GitHub ↗ View on CVE.org ↗ View on NVD ↗

Description

Summary

OpenClaw loaded the current working directory .env before trusted state-dir configuration, allowing untrusted workspace state to inject host environment values.

Impact

A repository or workspace containing a malicious .env file could override runtime configuration and security-sensitive environment settings when OpenClaw started there.

Affected Component

src/infra/dotenv.ts, src/cli/dotenv.ts

Fixed Versions

  • Affected: <= 2026.3.24
  • Patched: >= 2026.3.28
  • Latest stable 2026.3.28 contains the fix.

Fix

Fixed by commit 6a79324802 (Filter untrusted CWD .env entries before OpenClaw startup).

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
critical
Advisory on GitHub
Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory
Open repository advisory ↗
Source code
Browse source ↗
Published (advisory)
2026-04-01 00:02:42 UTC
Updated
2026-04-20 23:43:44 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2026-04-01 00:02:42 UTC

EPSS Score

Score Percentile
0.01% 2.20%

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
9.7 3.1 —
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:R)
A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land.
Scope (S:C)
Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

Identifiers

Type Value
GHSA GHSA-8rh7-6779-cjqq ↗
CVE CVE-2026-41294 ↗

CWEs

CWE id Name
CWE-426 Untrusted Search Path

Credits

  • tdjackey (reporter)

Affected packages (1)

Vulnerable version ranges and first patched releases as published by GitHub.

Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range First patched Vulnerable functions
npm openclaw <= 2026.3.24 2026.3.28 —

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence