CVE-2026-62190 Overview
CVE-2026-62190 is an authorization bypass vulnerability affecting OpenClaw versions before 2026.6.9. The flaw resides in the flock wrapper, which fails to properly enforce durable exec approval binding. Lower-trust callers can leverage configured input paths to execute or persist actions beyond their intended authorization scope. The issue is classified under CWE-706: Use of Incorrectly-Resolved Name or Reference. Exploitation requires network access and low privileges but no user interaction, exposing confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected component.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with low privileges can bypass exec approval binding through the flock wrapper and perform unauthorized operations against OpenClaw deployments that enable the affected feature.
Affected Products
- OpenClaw (Node.js distribution) — all versions prior to 2026.6.9
- Deployments where the flock wrapper feature is enabled
- Environments accepting configured input paths from lower-trust callers
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-13 - CVE-2026-62190 published to NVD
- 2026-07-15 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-62190
Vulnerability Analysis
OpenClaw's flock wrapper is intended to bind execution approvals to specific, durable references so that only authorized callers can invoke protected actions. In vulnerable releases, the wrapper resolves input paths in a way that breaks this binding. A caller supplying a crafted path can present a reference that passes the approval check but resolves to an operation the caller was not authorized to perform.
The result is a classic authorization bypass: the enforcement layer is present, but the identity between the approved reference and the executed reference is not preserved. Because OpenClaw runs as a Node.js component reachable over the network, callers with only low privileges can drive the bypass through the normal API surface.
Successful exploitation lets an attacker execute or persist actions that should require higher trust, undermining the integrity of automation flows built on OpenClaw and exposing data the wrapper was meant to gate.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper resolution of input path names within the flock wrapper, aligning with CWE-706. The wrapper trusts caller-supplied path input during approval binding, allowing the resolved target to diverge from the reference that was originally approved for execution.
Attack Vector
Exploitation is network-based and requires authentication at a low privilege tier. No user interaction is needed. The attacker submits configured input paths through the exposed OpenClaw interface, triggering the flock wrapper along a code path where durable exec approval binding is skipped or subverted. Attackers can then execute or persist actions outside their authorization boundary while the affected feature is enabled.
No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently listed, and the vulnerability is not present in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The current EPSS probability is low, but this reflects observed exploitation activity, not the ease of exploitation once weaponized.
Refer to the VulnCheck advisory on the OpenClaw flock wrapper bypass and the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-3fp5-v549-9v66 for vendor-confirmed technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-62190
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected flock wrapper invocations originating from low-privilege API tokens or service accounts.
- Approval records where the bound reference does not match the executed target path.
- Persisted OpenClaw actions created by callers that lack the corresponding approval history.
- Repeated requests submitting unusual or traversal-style input paths to endpoints that reach the flock wrapper.
Detection Strategies
- Audit OpenClaw runtime logs for divergence between approved references and resolved execution targets.
- Correlate authentication events with flock wrapper activity to identify low-privilege callers reaching gated actions.
- Baseline normal input path patterns for OpenClaw callers and alert on deviations, especially crafted or encoded paths.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging around exec approval binding and forward events to a centralized SIEM.
- Monitor for creation or modification of persisted actions outside expected change windows.
- Track OpenClaw process behavior for unauthorized child processes or file operations initiated by the flock wrapper.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-62190
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.6.9 or later on every affected host.
- Inventory Node.js deployments that pull openclaw as a dependency and confirm the resolved version.
- Rotate credentials and API tokens for any low-privilege callers that could have exercised the flock wrapper.
- Review approval and execution logs since deployment for evidence of bypass activity.
Patch Information
The vendor released a fix in OpenClaw 2026.6.9. Details and remediation guidance are published in the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-3fp5-v549-9v66. Additional technical context is available in the VulnCheck advisory.
Workarounds
- Disable the flock wrapper feature until the upgrade to 2026.6.9 can be completed.
- Restrict network reachability of the OpenClaw service to trusted management networks only.
- Tighten role assignments so that low-privilege identities cannot submit input paths to gated endpoints.
- Apply strict allow-list validation on caller-supplied paths at an upstream proxy or gateway.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
