CVE-2026-31997
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedOpenClaw versions prior to 2026.3.1 fail to pin executable identity for non-path-like argv[0] tokens in system.run approvals, allowing post-approval executable rebind attacks. Attackers can modify PATH resolution after approval to execute a different binary than the operator approved, enabling arbitrary command execution.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceOpenClaw versions before 2026.3.1 fail to pin the executable identity when approving system.run commands where argv[0] is a non-path-like token (e.g., 'python' instead of '/usr/bin/python'). After approval, attackers can modify the PATH environment variable to redirect execution to a different binary than the one originally approved, achieving arbitrary command execution.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 2026.3.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check OpenClaw versionLocate the OpenClaw binary or installation directory and retrieve its version (e.g., openclaw --version, or check the binary metadata)Affected if The installed version is below 2026.3.1
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Identify system.run command usageReview OpenClaw configuration or audit logs for any approved system.run commands where argv[0] is a bare command name (e.g., 'python', 'bash', 'perl') rather than a full absolute path (e.g., '/usr/bin/python')Affected if Any system.run approvals use non-path tokens like 'python' or 'bash' as argv[0]
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Verify executable identity pinningInspect the approval mechanism for system.run commands to confirm whether the approved executable is verified by its full path or cryptographic identity at execution timeAffected if The approval only validates the command name without pinning to a specific filesystem path or binary hash
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Check for PATH environment controlDetermine whether the process running the approved commands has its PATH environment variable protected or whether it can be modified by external input after approvalAffected if The PATH variable can be altered after a system.run command is approved, allowing redirect to unintended binaries
You are affected if OpenClaw version is below 2026.3.1 AND you have approved system.run commands using non-path tokens (e.g., 'python' instead of '/usr/bin/python') where the PATH can still be modified to redirect execution.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped2026.3.1
Upgrade to OpenClaw 2026.3.1 or later, which implements proper executable identity pinning for all argv[0] tokens in system.run approvals.
OpenClaw 2026.3.1 or later
- 1. Identify the current installed version of OpenClaw by checking the application or using: openclaw --version (or similar version command)
- 2. Backup any existing OpenClaw configurations, workflows, and approval rules before upgrading
- 3. Download OpenClaw version 2026.3.1 or later from the official GitHub repository or release channel
- 4. Install the upgraded version following standard installation procedures for your environment
- 5. After upgrade, ensure all system.run approval rules use full absolute paths for executables rather than bare command names (e.g., use /usr/bin/curl instead of curl)
- 6. Verify the upgrade was successful by running: openclaw --version
- 7. Test a system.run approval with a non-path argv[0] token to confirm the vulnerability is remediated
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-31997 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-31997 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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