CVE-2026-41295
Openclaw ≤ 2026.4.2
Raw vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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-2026-41295 is a high-severity Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere (CWE-829) vulnerability in Openclaw Openclaw. Its CVSS base score is 8.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Supply Chain Compromise (T1195); 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 SR-4 (Provenance) and SR-11 (Component Authenticity) — 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-2026-41295 is an improper trust boundary vulnerability (CWE-829) in OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.4.2. It affects the software's handling of workspace channel shadows during built-in channel setup and login processes, where untrusted shadows can execute code. The vulnerability enables attackers to leverage a malicious plugin that claims a bundled channel ID, leading to unintended in-process code execution before the plugin requires explicit user trust. The issue carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high impact with local access, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and user interaction needed.
An attacker with local access can exploit this by cloning a workspace containing a malicious plugin that impersonates a trusted bundled channel ID. When the victim user opens or interacts with the cloned workspace during setup or login, the untrusted channel shadow executes arbitrary code in-process. This achieves high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, potentially allowing full compromise of the OpenClaw instance without prior privileges, though it relies on user interaction such as trusting or loading the workspace.
Mitigation is addressed in OpenClaw version 2026.4.2, as detailed in the project's GitHub security advisory (GHSA-2qrv-rc5x-2g2h) and a related commit fixing the trust boundary issue. Additional guidance appears in the Vulncheck advisory on untrusted workspace channel shadow code execution. Security practitioners should upgrade to the patched version and review workspace cloning practices to avoid loading untrusted content.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-23999
Vulnerability Data
OpenClaw before 2026.4.2 contains an improper trust boundary vulnerability allowing untrusted workspace channel shadows to execute during built-in channel setup and login. Attackers can clone a workspace with a malicious plugin claiming a bundled channel id to achieve unintended in-process…
more
code execution before the plugin is explicitly trusted.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
—
—
- 6 hardening rules · 6 OS baselines
V14.2.3V3.5.6V9.1.3V15.3.2
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Requires documented, valid provenance for components, preventing acceptance of code from outside the trusted sphere.
Implements detection and prevention of counterfeit or inauthentic components before they are integrated.
Establishes processes to identify and address supply-chain weaknesses that would allow untrusted functionality.
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.
Pre-acquisition integrity/authenticity checks directly prevent inclusion of untrusted code.
Supply-chain program directly governs inclusion of third-party executable code.
Contractual requirements can mandate trusted sources and integrity checks for included functionality.
Supplier risk assessment explicitly covers risks from their products and libraries.
Critical-supplier assessment reduces risk of importing executable functionality from untrusted parties.
Secure SDLC practices include dependency vetting and trusted-source policies.
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.
By requiring suppliers to propagate security requirements and to disclose component provenance, the control limits the inclusion of functionality obtained from untrusted third-party sources without oversight.
Blocking domains that serve malware or untrusted scripts prevents the browser from automatically including functionality from an attacker-controlled source.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
- V-248635 Executable search paths within the initialization files of all local interactive OL 8 users must only contain paths that resolve to the system default or the user's home directory. prevents CWE-829
Oracle Linux 9 (1 rule)
- V-271847 OL 9 must be configured so that executable search paths within the initialization files of all local interactive users must only contain paths that resolve to the system default or the users home directory. prevents CWE-829
RHEL 7 (1 rule)
- V-204477 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must be configured so that all local interactive user initialization files executable search paths contain only paths that resolve to the users home directory. prevents CWE-829
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
- V-230317 Executable search paths within the initialization files of all local interactive RHEL 8 users must only contain paths that resolve to the system default or the users home directory. prevents CWE-829
RHEL 9 (1 rule)
- V-258050 Executable search paths within the initialization files of all local interactive RHEL 9 users must only contain paths that resolve to the system default or the users home directory. prevents CWE-829
Windows 10 (1 rule)
- V-220737 Administrative accounts must not be used with applications that access the Internet, such as web browsers, or with potential Internet sources, such as email. prevents CWE-829