CVE-2026-31993 in OpenClaw
Summary
by MITRE • 03/19/2026
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.22 contain an allowlist parsing mismatch vulnerability in the macOS companion app that allows authenticated operators to bypass exec approval checks. Attackers with operator.write privileges and a paired macOS beta node can craft shell-chain payloads that pass incomplete allowlist validation and execute arbitrary commands on the paired host.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/23/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-31993 affects OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.22 and represents a critical security flaw in the macOS companion application designed for operator-controlled systems. This issue stems from an allowlist parsing mismatch that fundamentally undermines the security controls intended to prevent unauthorized command execution. The vulnerability specifically targets the validation mechanisms that should prevent arbitrary code execution by enforcing strict approval checks before allowing command execution on paired macOS hosts. The flaw exists within the companion application's implementation of access controls, creating a pathway for malicious actors to circumvent security boundaries that were designed to protect the system integrity.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the incomplete validation of allowlist entries within the macOS companion application's parsing logic. When operators attempt to execute commands on paired macOS beta nodes, the system should validate each command against a predefined allowlist to ensure only approved operations can proceed. However, the parsing mismatch creates gaps in this validation process where certain shell-chain payloads can bypass the security checks entirely. This parsing discrepancy allows attackers to craft malicious command sequences that appear to comply with allowlist restrictions while actually containing hidden execution paths that exploit the validation weakness. The vulnerability specifically affects systems where operators possess operator.write privileges and have access to paired macOS beta nodes, creating a targeted attack surface that combines both authentication and operational access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially catastrophic for systems relying on OpenClaw for secure operations. An authenticated attacker with operator.write privileges can execute arbitrary commands on the paired macOS host without detection, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or disruption of critical operations. The vulnerability enables attackers to escalate their privileges and maintain persistent access to the system while bypassing the intended security controls. This creates a significant risk for environments where OpenClaw is used for sensitive operations, as the vulnerability essentially provides a backdoor mechanism that allows attackers to execute commands that should be strictly forbidden. The nature of shell-chain payloads means that attackers can potentially chain multiple commands together, creating complex attack scenarios that can be difficult to trace and mitigate.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate security gap and the underlying architectural issues that allowed the parsing mismatch to exist. Organizations should immediately upgrade to OpenClaw version 2026.2.22 or later, which contains the patched allowlist validation logic that properly handles all command sequences and prevents the bypass conditions. Additionally, system administrators should implement additional monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect anomalous command execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of comprehensive input validation and proper parsing of security controls, aligning with CWE-20 standards for input validation errors and ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter. Network segmentation and principle of least privilege should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security audits should verify that all allowlist validation mechanisms are functioning correctly and consistently across all system components.