GHSA-fgvx-58p6-gjwc — critical GitHub Advisory (CVE-2026-32013) in npm/openclaw

Description

Impact

The gateway agents.files.get and agents.files.set methods allowed symlink traversal for allowlisted workspace files. A symlinked allowlisted file (for example AGENTS.md) could resolve outside the agent workspace and be read/written by the gateway process.

This could enable arbitrary host file read/write within the gateway process permissions, and chained impact up to code execution depending on which files are overwritten.

Affected Packages / Versions

Package: openclaw (npm)
Affected versions: <= 2026.2.24
Latest published vulnerable version at patch time: 2026.2.24
Patched versions: >= 2026.2.25

Remediation

agents.files now resolves real workspace paths, enforces containment for resolved targets, rejects out-of-workspace symlink targets, and keeps in-workspace symlink targets supported. The patch also adds gateway regression tests for blocked escapes and valid in-workspace symlink behavior.

Fix Commit(s)

125f4071bcbc0de32e769940d07967db47f09d3d

Release Process Note

patched_versions is intentionally pre-set to the release (2026.2.25). Advisory published with npm release 2026.2.25.

OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

Basic information

Type: reviewed
Severity: critical
Advisory on GitHub: Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory: Open repository advisory ↗
Source code: Browse source ↗
Published (advisory): 2026-03-02 22:40:36 UTC
Updated: 2026-03-20 21:36:50 UTC
GitHub reviewed: 2026-03-02 22:40:36 UTC
NVD published: 2026-03-19

Score	Percentile
0.11%	29.88%

CVSS Scores

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector
8.8	3.1	—	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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:L) A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. 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.
9.3	4.0	—	`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network. Attack complexity (AC:L) Exploitation conditions are straightforward and stable. Attack requirements (AT:N) No additional preconditions are required beyond normal reachability. Privileges required (PR:N) No privileges are required. User interaction (UI:N) No user interaction is required. Vulnerable system confidentiality impact (VC:H) High confidentiality impact on the vulnerable system. Vulnerable system integrity impact (VI:H) High integrity impact on the vulnerable system. Vulnerable system availability impact (VA:N) No availability impact on the vulnerable system. Subsequent system confidentiality impact (SC:N) No confidentiality impact on subsequent systems. Subsequent system integrity impact (SI:N) No integrity impact on subsequent systems. Subsequent system availability impact (SA:N) No availability impact on subsequent systems.

Identifiers

Type	Value
GHSA	GHSA-fgvx-58p6-gjwc ↗
CVE	CVE-2026-32013 ↗

CWEs

CWE id	Name
CWE-22	Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-59	Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

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	< 2026.2.25	2026.2.25	—

OpenClaw gateway agents.files symlink escape allowed out-of-workspace file read/write