Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:XSummary
CVE-2026-32009 is a high-severity Untrusted Search Path (CWE-426) vulnerability in Openclaw Openclaw. Its CVSS base score is 7.0 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Path Interception (T1034); ranked at the 3th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to CM-6 (Configuration Settings) and CM-7 (Least Functionality) — 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-2026-32009, published on 2026-03-19, is a policy bypass vulnerability in the safeBins allowlist evaluation of OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.24. The flaw occurs because the evaluation trusts static default directories, including writable package-manager paths such as /opt/homebrew/bin and /usr/local/bin. This issue has been mapped to CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path) and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.7 (AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H).
Exploitation requires an attacker to have write access to one of these trusted directories. The attacker can then place a malicious binary with the same name as an allowed executable, resulting in arbitrary command execution within the OpenClaw runtime context.
Advisories and the associated patch commit provide mitigation guidance. OpenClaw users should update to version 2026.2.24 or later, as fixed in GitHub commit b67e600bff696ff2ed9b470826590c0ce6b3bb0a. Additional details are available in the GitHub security advisory at GHSA-5gj7-jf77-q2q2 and the VulnCheck advisory on openclaw-binary-hijacking-via-static-default-trusted-directories-in-safebins.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-13269
Vulnerability Data
OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.24 contain a policy bypass vulnerability in the safeBins allowlist evaluation that trusts static default directories including writable package-manager paths like /opt/homebrew/bin and /usr/local/bin. An attacker with write access to these trusted directories can place a…
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malicious binary with the same name as an allowed executable to achieve arbitrary command execution within the OpenClaw runtime context.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Secure baseline settings can enforce absolute, organization-controlled paths for critical resources.
Least-functionality configuration can prohibit unapproved directories or executables from being reachable via search paths.
Engineering principles such as trusted paths, complete mediation, and least privilege directly require hard-coded or validated search paths instead of external ones.
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.
Preventing execution of unauthorized code directly blocks the malicious binaries that an untrusted search path would load.
Secure development practices include avoiding or sanitizing externally influenced search paths in application code.
Hardened configuration baselines can enforce safe search paths and restrict environment variables that enable the weakness.
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 search-path issues but does not itself prevent them in production code.
Restricting software installation reduces the chance that untrusted binaries or libraries are placed in search paths.
Secure architecture principles include hard-coded or validated search paths and avoiding reliance on untrusted directories.
Secure coding standards require absolute paths or integrity-checked search paths, directly mitigating CWE-426.
Change-management processes can enforce review of path-handling changes, indirectly lowering risk.