CVE-2026-44995

OpenClaw < 2026.4.20 - Arbitrary Code Execution via MCP stdio Environment Variables

Published May 11, 2026 CVSS 4.0 · 5.4 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Malicious workspace configurations can pass dangerous startup variables like NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to spawned MCP server processes, enabling code injection when operators start sessions using those servers.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-mj59-h3q9-ghfh OpenClaw: MCP stdio server env could load dangerous startup variables from workspace config
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Malicious workspace configurations can pass dangerous startup variables like NODE_OPTIONS, LD_PRELOAD, or BASH_ENV to spawned MCP server processes, enabling code injection when operators start sessions using those servers.
Title OpenClaw < 2026.4.20 - Arbitrary Code Execution via MCP stdio Environment Variables
First Time appeared Openclaw
Openclaw openclaw
Weaknesses CWE-829
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
Vendors & Products Openclaw
Openclaw openclaw
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 5.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
VulnCheck
Published
Updated
May 11, 2026, 5:57 PM
Reserved
May 8, 2026, 4:41 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
May 11, 2026, 6:16 PM
Modified
Nov 11, 2026, 8:10 PM