CVE-2026-62202 Overview
CVE-2026-62202 is a privilege escalation vulnerability affecting OpenClaw versions 2026.6.1 through 2026.6.8. The flaw resides in the isolated cron job feature, where misconfigured input paths allow lower-trust callers to regain execution tools that should be denied. Attackers with limited privileges can execute or persist actions beyond their intended authorization boundaries. The vulnerability is classified as an authorization weakness under CWE-863. Remediation is available in OpenClaw 2026.6.9.
Critical Impact
Authenticated low-privilege attackers can escalate privileges through misconfigured cron input paths, gaining unauthorized execution capabilities that compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the host application.
Affected Products
- OpenClaw 2026.6.1 through 2026.6.8 (Node.js distribution)
- Deployments using the isolated cron job feature
- Environments granting low-trust user roles access to cron configuration inputs
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-17 - CVE-2026-62202 published to NVD
- 2026-07-21 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-62202
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-62202 stems from an incorrect authorization defect ([CWE-863]) in OpenClaw's isolated cron subsystem. The cron feature is designed to sandbox scheduled tasks and restrict callers from invoking sensitive execution tools. Input paths passed to the cron handler are not correctly validated against the caller's trust boundary. Lower-trust callers can craft input paths that reference execution tools which should be denied under the caller's authorization scope. Once the cron job runs, the referenced tool executes in the isolated context but with access privileges that exceed the caller's role. This allows attackers to persist actions or invoke functionality reserved for higher-trust identities. The advisory from OpenClaw's maintainers confirms the flaw exists in the cron feature's path resolution logic.
Root Cause
The root cause is broken authorization enforcement in the isolated cron job handler. OpenClaw does not correctly re-check whether the cron caller retains the right to reach an execution tool when the input path is resolved. Trust decisions rely on configuration state rather than a runtime authorization check keyed to the caller.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access and low-privilege authenticated access to the OpenClaw application. The attacker submits a crafted cron job configuration that references restricted execution tools via manipulated input paths. When the cron scheduler runs the job, the previously denied tool is invoked, resulting in privilege escalation. No user interaction is required, and attack complexity is low, though a specific attack prerequisite in the target configuration is needed.
No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available at the time of writing. Refer to the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-mm9g-83wh-mhwj for maintainer-provided technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-62202
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected cron job entries referencing execution tool paths that low-trust users should not access.
- Cron scheduler logs showing job invocations by user roles that lack direct tool authorization.
- Configuration file modifications to the OpenClaw cron subsystem originating from non-administrative accounts.
- New scheduled tasks appearing shortly after low-privilege authentication events.
Detection Strategies
- Audit OpenClaw cron job definitions and compare referenced input paths against the authorization scope of the creating user.
- Correlate authentication logs with cron creation events to identify low-privilege accounts registering privileged tasks.
- Enable verbose logging on the cron feature and forward events to a centralized log platform for anomaly analysis.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on any cron job creation or modification by non-administrative roles in OpenClaw.
- Monitor process execution originating from the OpenClaw cron worker for unexpected child processes or tool invocations.
- Track OpenClaw application version across the environment and flag hosts still running versions 2026.6.1 through 2026.6.8.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-62202
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.6.9 or later on all affected hosts.
- Inventory all cron job definitions and remove entries created by low-trust accounts pending review.
- Restrict access to the cron configuration interface to administrative roles only until patching completes.
- Rotate credentials for any account with suspected exposure and review authorization assignments.
Patch Information
OpenClaw has released version 2026.6.9 addressing CVE-2026-62202. The fix enforces authorization checks on cron input paths at resolution time, ensuring low-trust callers cannot reference denied execution tools. Details are available in the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-mm9g-83wh-mhwj and the VulnCheck Privilege Escalation Advisory.
Workarounds
- Disable the isolated cron job feature until the patch is applied if operationally acceptable.
- Restrict cron job creation to administrative accounts via role-based access control at the application layer.
- Apply network segmentation so that only trusted management networks can reach OpenClaw's authenticated endpoints.
# Verify OpenClaw version and upgrade via npm
npm ls openclaw
npm install openclaw@2026.6.9
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
