OpenClaw has a path traversal in browser upload allows local file read
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Information disclosure
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-22 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant. Prior to version 2026.2.14, authenticated attackers can read arbitrary files from the Gateway host by supplying absolute paths or path traversal sequences to the browser tool's `upload` action. The server passed these paths to Playwright's `setInputFiles()` APIs without restricting them to a safe root. An attacker must reach the Gateway HTTP surface (or otherwise invoke the same browser control hook endpoints); present valid Gateway auth (bearer token / password), as required by the Gateway configuration (In common default setups, the Gateway binds to loopback and the onboarding wizard generates a gateway token even for loopback); and have the `browser` tool permitted by tool policy for the target session/context (and have browser support enabled). If an operator exposes the Gateway beyond loopback (LAN/tailnet/custom bind, reverse proxy, tunnels, etc.), the impact increases accordingly. Starting in version 2026.2.14, the upload paths are now confined to OpenClaw's temp uploads root (`DEFAULT_UPLOAD_DIR`) and traversal/escape paths are rejected.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenClaw | openclaw | before 2026.2.14 | 2026.2.14 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | openclaw (npm) | before 2026.2.14 | 2026.2.14 | Patch available | GHSA-cv7m-c9jx-vg7q |
- openclaw VendorOpenClaw Affected before 2026.2.14 Fixed in 2026.2.14 Patch available CNA
- openclaw (npm) Vendor— Affected before 2026.2.14 Fixed in 2026.2.14 Patch available GHSA-cv7m-c9jx-vg7q
Remediation
- Fix · CNA openclaw (openclaw) Fixed in 2026.2.14
- Fix · GHSA-cv7m-c9jx-vg7q openclaw (npm) Fixed in 2026.2.14 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-26329
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-cv7m-c9jx-vg7q
References
Patch 2
More Openclaw vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-25309 OpenClaw < 2026.3.28 Media Parsing Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Read CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-20394 Exposure of resource to wrong sphere in OpenClaw CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-27742 OpenClaw < 2026.3.24 - Arbitrary Code Execution via .npmrc in Local Plugin/Hook Installation CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.4
- TI-2026-27766 OpenClaw < 2026.3.24 - Denial of Service via Feishu Webhook Pre-Auth Body Parsing CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.9
- TI-2026-07315 OpenClaw bluebubbles Webhook monitor.ts handleBlueBubblesWebhookRequest improper authentication CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.9
- TI-2026-17789 OpenClaw < 2026.2.22 - Allowlist Bypass via Command Substitution in system.run CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-26329 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-26329 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-cv7m-c9jx-vg7q · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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