CVE-2026-42427: OpenClaw < 2026.4.8 - Remote Code Execution via Build Tool Environment Variable Injection

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.3 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-04-28 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-184

Description

OpenClaw before 2026.4.8 contains a remote code execution vulnerability caused by missing environment variable denylist entries for HGRCPATH, CARGO_BUILD_RUSTC_WRAPPER, RUSTC_WRAPPER, and MAKEFLAGS. Attackers can inject malicious build tool environment variables to influence host exec commands and achieve arbitrary code execution.

Affected products

OpenClaw: before 2026.4.8 — fixed in 2026.4.8

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: OpenClaw 2026.4.8. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/d7c3210cd6f5fdfdc1beff4c9541673e814354d5
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-7437-7hg8-frrw
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-remote-code-execution-via-build-tool-environment-variable-injection

Get alerted when CVE-2026-42427 or the next vulnerability affects your stack