CVE-2026-28363
Openclaw ≤ 2026.2.23
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:HSummary
CVE-2026-28363 is a critical-severity Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs (CWE-184) vulnerability in Openclaw Openclaw. Its CVSS base score is 9.9 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 40th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2026-28363 is a vulnerability in OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.23, affecting the tools.exec.safeBins validation mechanism specifically for the sort utility. In allowlist mode, the validation can be bypassed using GNU long-option abbreviations, such as --compress-prog, which evades restrictions. This allows execution paths intended to require explicit approval to run without it, as the check only denied exact strings like --compress-program. The issue is classified under CWE-184 (Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs) with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.9 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
A low-privileged user (PR:L) can exploit this over the network (AV:N) with low complexity (AC:L) and no user interaction (UI:N). Successful exploitation changes scope (S:C) and grants high-impact access to confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H), enabling unauthorized execution of unintended binaries or paths via manipulated sort options in allowlist mode.
The GitHub Security Advisory at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-3c6h-g97w-fg78 provides details on the issue, with mitigation achieved by upgrading to OpenClaw 2026.2.23 or later, which addresses the validation bypass for abbreviated options.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-8987
Vulnerability Data
In OpenClaw before 2026.2.23, tools.exec.safeBins validation for sort could be bypassed via GNU long-option abbreviations (such as --compress-prog) in allowlist mode, leading to approval-free execution paths that were intended to require approval. Only an exact string such as --compress-program was…
more
denied.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 2 hardening rules · 1 OS baseline
V3.5.2V4.4.2V16.2.5
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
SI-10 requires validity checks on inputs, which structurally replaces incomplete deny-lists with complete allow-list or sanitization logic.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure SDLC practices directly require complete, positive input validation instead of incomplete denylists.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing can discover missing input checks, but does not prevent the weakness during development.
Application security requirements can mandate complete input validation rules, but the control itself does not prescribe how to build those rules.
Secure architecture principles include robust input validation design, yet the control is broader than this single weakness.
Secure coding standards directly require exhaustive allow-lists or complete deny-lists for inputs, addressing the root cause of incomplete disallowed-input lists.