CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-28456NVD status: Analyzed

OpenClaw: Uncontrolled Search Path Element

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-28456 is a high-severity uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in OpenClaw, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. The record lists version 2026.2.14 as the first without the flaw, so updating OpenClaw to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.47% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update OpenClaw to 2026.2.14 or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
OpenClawOpenClaw2026.1.5 up to, but not including, 2026.2.142026.2.14

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 4.08.6HighCNA (vulncheck.com)
CVSS 3.17.2HighCNA (vulncheck.com)

Official description

OpenClaw versions 2026.1.5 prior to 2026.2.14 contain a vulnerability in the Gateway in which it does not sufficiently constrain configured hook module paths before passing them to dynamic import(), allowing code execution. An attacker with gateway configuration modification access can load and execute unintended local modules in the Node.js process.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Uncontrolled Search Path Element

The product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Hard-code the search path to a set of known-safe values (such as system directories), or only allow them to be specified by the administrator in a configuration file. Do not allow these settings to be modified by an external party. Be careful to avoid related weaknesses such as CWE-426 and CWE-428.
  • When invoking other programs, specify those programs using fully-qualified pathnames. While this is an effective approach, code that uses fully-qualified pathnames might not be portable to other systems that do not use the same pathnames. The portability can be improved by locating the full-qualified paths in a centralized, easily-modifiable location within the source code, and having the code refer to these paths.
  • Remove or restrict all environment settings before invoking other programs. This includes the PATH environment variable, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, and other settings that identify the location of code libraries, and any application-specific search paths.

More Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities (CWE-427)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in OpenClaw

All OpenClaw vulnerabilities

Recent Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities

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