OpenClaw: Lower-trust background runtime output is injected into trusted `System:` events, and local async exec completion misses the intended `exec-event` downgrade

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Description

Impact

Lower-trust background runtime output is injected into trusted System: events, and local async exec completion misses the intended exec-event downgrade.

Lower-trust runtime/background output could be promoted into trusted System events, allowing prompt-injection into later agent turns.

OpenClaw is a user-controlled local assistant. This advisory is scoped to the OpenClaw trust model and does not assume a multi-tenant service boundary.

Affected Packages / Versions

  • Package: openclaw (npm)
  • Affected versions: <= 2026.4.2
  • Patched versions: 2026.4.8

Fix

The issue was fixed on main and is available in the patched npm version listed above. The verified fixed tree is commit d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5.

Verification

The fix was re-checked against main before publication, including targeted regression tests for the affected security boundary.

Credits

Thanks @tdjackey for reporting.

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
high
Advisory on GitHub
Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory
Open repository advisory ↗
Source code
Browse source ↗
Published (advisory)
2026-04-09 14:22:14 UTC
Updated
2026-04-09 14:22:17 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2026-04-09 14:22:14 UTC

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
7.3 4.0 —
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:L)
Attacker needs local access on the target system.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Exploitation conditions are straightforward and stable.
Attack requirements (AT:P)
Additional preconditions must be present for exploitation.
Privileges required (PR:L)
Low 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:H)
High 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-gfmx-pph7-g46x ↗

CWEs

CWE id Name
CWE-501 Trust Boundary Violation

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 <= 2026.4.2 2026.4.8 —

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence