CVE-2026-32979
Published: 29 March 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-32979 is a high-severity Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition (CWE-367) vulnerability in Openclaw Openclaw. Its CVSS base score is 7.3 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203); ranked at the 15.3th 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 are NIST 800-53 CM-14 (Signed Components) and SC-34 (Non-modifiable Executable Programs).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Verifies the integrity of software and scripts prior to execution to prevent running modified approved scripts exploited via the time-of-check to time-of-use vulnerability.
Enforces execution of scripts only from non-modifiable storage or in a non-modifiable state, eliminating the window for attackers to rewrite local scripts between approval and execution.
Requires signed components for scripts, ensuring validity and integrity checks that block execution of tampered approved scripts lacking valid signatures.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
TOCTOU race condition (CWE-367) in script approval directly enables arbitrary code execution by allowing post-approval modification of local scripts; maps to client-side exploitation (T1203) resulting in command/script interpreter abuse (T1059) that requires user interaction to approve the initial script (T1204.002).
NVD Description
OpenClaw before 2026.3.11 contains an approval integrity vulnerability allowing attackers to execute rewritten local code by modifying scripts between approval and execution when exact file binding cannot occur. Remote attackers can change approved local scripts before execution to achieve unintended…
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code execution as the OpenClaw runtime user.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2026-32979 is an approval integrity vulnerability (CWE-367) in OpenClaw versions before 2026.3.11. It enables attackers to execute rewritten local code by modifying scripts between the approval and execution phases, especially when exact file binding cannot occur. The issue was published on 2026-03-29 and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.3 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
The vulnerability can be exploited by local attackers with low privileges who induce user interaction, such as through social engineering. According to the description, remote attackers can change approved local scripts before execution, achieving unintended code execution as the OpenClaw runtime user and resulting in high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.
Advisories detailing the issue are available at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-xf99-j42q-5w5p and https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-unbound-interpreter-and-runtime-commands-bypass-in-node-host-approval, which likely recommend upgrading to OpenClaw 2026.3.11 or later to mitigate the vulnerability by addressing the script modification window.
Details
- CWE(s)