GHSA-r6h2-5gqq-v5v6 CVE-2026-27485
OpenClaw: Reject symlinks in local skill packaging script
- Severity
- 0.0 / 10
- Medium · CVSS 4.0
- Exploit chance (EPSS)
- 0.25%
- Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. Higher than 16.22% of scored vulnerabilities.
- Known exploited
- No
- Not in CISA's catalog
- Weakness
- CWE-61 UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
- Fix
2026.2.19- Upgrade openclaw to this version or later
Description
Vulnerability
skills/skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py (a local helper script used when authors package skills) previously followed symlinks while building .skill archives.
If an author runs this script on a crafted local skill directory containing symlinks to files outside the skill root, the resulting archive can include unintended file contents.
Severity and Exposure
- Severity: Low
- Execution context: local/manual workflow only (skill author packaging step)
- No remote trigger: this is not reachable via normal OpenClaw gateway/chat runtime paths
- No extraction Zip Slip in this finding: this issue is limited to packaging-time symlink following
Impact
- Potential unintentional disclosure of local files from the packaging machine into a generated
.skillartifact. - Requires local execution of the packaging script on attacker-controlled skill contents.
Affected Components
skills/skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py
Affected Packages / Versions
- Package:
openclaw(npm) - Latest published version during triage:
2026.2.17 - Vulnerable version range:
<= 2026.2.17 - Planned patched version (next release):
2026.2.18
Remediation
- Reject symlinks during skill packaging.
- Add regression tests for symlink file and symlink directory cases.
- Update packaging guidance to document the symlink restriction.
Fix Commit(s)
c275932aa4230fb7a8212fe1b9d2a18424874b3fee1d6427b544ccadd73e02b1630ea5c29ba9a9f0
Related PR
Release Process Note
patched_versions is pre-set to the planned next release (2026.2.18). Once npm openclaw@2026.2.18 is published, this advisory is ready to publish without additional edits.
Thanks @aether-ai-agent for reporting.
Affected versions
npm
| Package | Vulnerable | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| openclaw | < 2026.2.19 |
2026.2.19 |
How to fix
Move to the fixed version or later with your package manager, update the lockfile, and run your tests. If the package only arrives through another dependency, upgrade that dependency first. If none of its releases pulls a fixed version yet, force the version with your package manager's override.
openclaw npm → 2026.2.19
- npm
npm install openclaw@2026.2.19- yarn
yarn add openclaw@2026.2.19- pnpm
pnpm add openclaw@2026.2.19
Severity breakdown
CVSS 4.0 0.0
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Active
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- None
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- Low
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- None
- Confidentiality (subsequent systems)
- None
- Integrity (subsequent systems)
- None
- Availability (subsequent systems)
- None
CVSS 3.1 4.4
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
Weakness
CWE-61: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
The product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently account for when the file is a symbolic link that resolves to a target outside of the intended control sphere. This could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files.
How to prevent it
- Implementation: Symbolic link attacks often occur when a program creates a tmp directory that stores files/links. Access to the directory should be restricted to the program as to prevent attackers from manipulating the files.
- Architecture and Design: Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system. Denying access to a file can prevent an attacker from replacing that file with a link to a sensitive file. Ensure good compartmentalization in the system to provide protected areas that can be trusted.
References
Advisories
Packages
Other links
- github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-r6h2-5gqq-v5v6
- github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/20796
- github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/c275932aa4230fb7a8212fe1b9d2a18424874b3f
- github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/ee1d6427b544ccadd73e02b1630ea5c29ba9a9f0
- github.com/openclaw/openclaw/releases/tag/v2026.2.19
Timeline
- Published
- Last updated by the source
- Latest EPSS score
Related advisories
| Advisory | Severity | Why it's related |
|---|---|---|
| GHSA-3x84-qq85-fj65 OpenClaw: Browser CDP discovery could accept blocked WebSocket URLs | High | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-9c3v-684m-579c OpenClaw MCP SSE redirects could forward Authorization headers | Medium | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-f397-5vjw-v2c2 OpenClaw: Shell inline-command parsing could miss an allowlist check | High | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-rx78-29qr-5hq8 OpenClaw: Workspace-derived service PATH could influence trash command selection | High | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-ccwh-wwpp-6wg5 OpenClaw: Host environment sanitizer missed two Node.js control variables | High | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-985f-72mj-8gf7 OpenClaw: Tool group policy callers could accept unvalidated group IDs | Medium | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-9v8j-9c9g-w66c OpenClaw: Bootstrap token replay could widen pending pairing scopes | Medium | Also affects openclaw |
| GHSA-c226-q6fx-6j6c OpenClaw: macOS Swift exec allowlist missed combined POSIX inline flags | Medium | Also affects openclaw |
MergeHarbor checks every repository's dependencies against this database, ranks what matters by exploitability and reachability, routes it to the owning team and opens the fix pull request.
Check your repos with MergeHarbor