GHSA-7xhj-55q9-pc3m
OpenClaw's hook transform module path allows traversal and arbitrary JavaScript module loading
Packages
Details
As written in the advisory (Markdown source, shown as plain text).
## Summary
OpenClaw hook mapping transforms could be loaded via absolute paths or `..` traversal, allowing arbitrary JavaScript module loading/execution in the gateway process when an attacker can modify hooks configuration.
## Affected Versions
- Affected: >= 2.0.0-beta3 and <= 2026.2.13
- Fixed: 2026.2.14
## Details
`hooks.mappings[].transform.module` is dynamically imported and executed during webhook processing. Path resolution previously accepted absolute paths and did not enforce containment for relative paths, so a config-controlled transform could resolve outside the intended transforms directory.
## Impact
If an attacker can write the OpenClaw config (or otherwise update hooks config through authenticated configuration mechanisms), they could point a hook mapping transform at an arbitrary module on disk and execute code with the gateway process privileges.
## Reproduction (config-controlled module load)
1. Configure a hook mapping that points to a transform path that escapes the transforms directory (for example via `..` traversal).
2. Place a malicious ESM module at the resolved location that executes arbitrary code in the gateway process.
3. Trigger the hook endpoint with the correct hook token.
## Fix
Transform loading is now constrained to the OpenClaw transforms root directory:
- Root: `~/.openclaw/hooks/transforms`
- `hooks.transformsDir` must be within that directory
- `transform.module` must be within the selected transforms directory
Attempts to escape the root (absolute paths outside, `..` traversal) are rejected.
Fix commit(s):
- a0361b8ba959e8506dc79d638b6e6a00d12887e4
- 18e8bd68c5015a894f999c6d5e6e32468965bfb5
## Credits
OpenClaw thanks @akhmittra for reporting.
References
External links from the advisory. They lead to third-party sites.
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-7xhj-55q9-pc3m
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-28393
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/18e8bd68c5015a894f999c6d5e6e32468965bfb5
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/a0361b8ba959e8506dc79d638b6e6a00d12887e4
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-beta-arbitrary-javascript-module-loading-via-hook-transform-path-traversal