CVE-2026-16082 in PicoClaw
Summary
by MITRE • 07/18/2026
A vulnerability was identified in Sipeed PicoClaw up to 0.2.9. The impacted element is the function ExecTool.executeRun of the file pkg/agent/pipeline_execute.go. The manipulation of the argument cwe leads to time-of-check time-of-use. The attack must be carried out locally. The exploit is publicly available and might be used. The reported GitHub issue was closed automatically with the label "not planned" by a bot.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2026
The vulnerability in Sipeed PicoClaw version 0.2.9 represents a critical time-of-check time-of-use flaw within the ExecTool.executeRun function located in pkg/agent/pipeline_execute.go. This class of vulnerability occurs when the system checks a condition at one point in time and then uses that condition at a later point, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to manipulate the state between these two moments. The specific parameter cwe serves as the attack vector, allowing adversaries to exploit the temporal inconsistency in the system's validation process. The vulnerability requires local execution privileges, meaning an attacker must already have access to the system to exploit it, though this limitation does not diminish its potential impact on system integrity.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple privilege escalation, as it creates a window where malicious actors can manipulate system behavior through carefully crafted inputs to the cwe parameter. This flaw directly relates to CWE-367, which specifically addresses time-of-check to time-of-use vulnerabilities, making it particularly dangerous in environments where local access is possible. The fact that this exploit is publicly available and potentially in use increases the risk exposure significantly, as it eliminates the need for sophisticated attack development and allows for rapid exploitation by threat actors who may not possess advanced technical capabilities.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices within the agent's pipeline execution system, where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize the cwe parameter before processing. The closed GitHub issue with "not planned" label suggests that the maintainers have acknowledged the problem but have chosen not to address it, leaving users vulnerable to potential exploitation. This approach violates standard security practices outlined in the ATT&CK framework under initial access and privilege escalation techniques, where local persistence mechanisms can be leveraged to maintain control over affected systems. The vulnerability essentially creates a race condition that allows attackers to bypass intended security controls, potentially leading to unauthorized system modifications or data compromise.
Organizations using Sipeed PicoClaw should immediately implement mitigations including input validation measures, parameter sanitization, and access controls to prevent unauthorized local execution. The most effective approach involves updating to a patched version of the software if available, implementing strict monitoring for anomalous system behavior, and ensuring that local user privileges are properly restricted. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough audits of the affected codebase to identify similar patterns that might exist elsewhere in the application, as this vulnerability likely represents a broader design flaw that could manifest in other components. The lack of official remediation from the vendor creates an urgent need for defensive measures including network segmentation, privilege monitoring, and behavioral analysis to detect potential exploitation attempts before they can cause significant damage.