OpenClaw Vulnerability: Missing Git Environment Variable Denylist

openclaw Updated 09 Apr 2026

Summary

09/04/2026

Disclosed on

LOW

Severity

Yes i

Fix available

Low

Severity

2.0

CVSS Score

GHSA-cm8v-2vh9-cxf3: Impact GIT_DIR and related git plumbing env vars missing from exec env denylist (GHSA-m866-6qv5-p2fg variant). Affects openclaw versions < 2026.4.8. Fixed in 2026.4.8. How to fix ↓

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Background

OpenClaw is a user-controlled local assistant designed to enhance user productivity by automating tasks and managing local resources. It leverages various Git operations to streamline workflows. However, it has been identified that certain Git plumbing environment variables, specifically GIT_DIR, were not adequately removed from the execution environment, leading to potential security risks.

Vulnerability Detail

The vulnerability arises from the failure to remove Git plumbing environment variables, such as GIT_DIR, from the execution environment before executing host commands. This oversight can allow malicious actors to redirect Git operations, potentially compromising the integrity of the application and the user's data. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-184 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements) and CWE-78 (OS Command Injection), indicating a significant risk to the application's security.

How To Fix

Latest published version: 2026.10.6 as of 22 Oct 2026

npm install openclaw@2026.10.6

Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.

If you need the minimum change

2026.4.8

This is the first release that contains the fix.

npm install openclaw@2026.4.8

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Workaround

As a temporary workaround, you can manually unset the GIT_DIR and related environment variables before executing any commands that rely on OpenClaw. This can be done in a Unix-like terminal using the following command: unset GIT_DIR.

Conclusion

The OpenClaw package has a vulnerability related to the handling of Git environment variables, which could lead to security risks. It is crucial to update to the patched version 2026.4.8 to mitigate these risks. Users are encouraged to utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in their applications.

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