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OpenclawApplication

CVE-2026-53819

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-06-11
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 2026.5.27 or later.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges

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 · unedited
OpenClaw before 2026.5.27 contains an arbitrary code execution vulnerability in skill install flows where workspace .env files can override the Homebrew executable selection. Attackers with access to trusted operator workspaces can execute unintended Homebrew-compatible executables during skill setup to compromise the system.

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 · moderate confidence

OpenClaw before 2026.5.27 has an arbitrary code execution vulnerability where workspace .env files can manipulate Homebrew executable selection during skill install flows. Attackers with access to trusted operator workspaces can inject or redirect to malicious Homebrew-compatible executables, achieving code execution on the system during skill setup.

MitigationUpdate to OpenClaw version 2026.5.27 or later. Additionally, audit and sanitize workspace .env files to prevent override of executable paths, and implement verification/code signing for executables selected during skill installation flows.

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
OpenclawApplication
Affected:< 2026.5.27

CVSS 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
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check installed OpenClaw version
    Run 'openclaw --version' or look for the version file in the OpenClaw installation directory
    Affected if The installed version is lower than 2026.5.27
  2. Identify workspace .env files
    Search for .env files in operator workspace directories, typically found in the workspace root or ~/.openclaw/ directory
    Affected if Any .env file exists in workspace directories that could contain Homebrew executable path overrides (look for variables like HOMEBREW_PATH, BREW_PATH, or executable paths)
  3. Review skill install configuration
    Examine OpenClaw skill configuration files or settings to confirm skill install flows are enabled. Check for skill-related config in ~/.openclaw/skills/ or /etc/openclaw/
    Affected if Skill install flows are configured and enabled in the environment
  4. Inspect executable path settings
    Check OpenClaw configuration files and any .env files for variables that specify Homebrew executable paths, such as HOMEBREW_BIN, BREW_EXECUTABLE, or PATH modifications
    Affected if Executable path variables in .env or config files could allow overriding the default Homebrew binary location

You are affected if OpenClaw version is below 2026.5.27 AND workspace .env files exist that can influence Homebrew executable selection during skill installation.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 2026.5.27 or later
Fixed in 2026.5.27
Interim mitigation

Update to OpenClaw version 2026.5.27 or later. Additionally, audit and sanitize workspace .env files to prevent override of executable paths, and implement verification/code signing for executables selected during skill installation flows.

Recommended fix High confidence

OpenClaw 2026.5.27 or later

  1. 1. Verify the current OpenClaw installation version using: claw --version or the package manager used for installation
  2. 2. Backup any critical workspace configurations and .env files before performing the upgrade
  3. 3. Upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.5.27 or later using the appropriate package manager (e.g., pip install openclaw>=2026.5.27, brew upgrade openclaw, or the method originally used for installation)
  4. 4. Verify the upgrade was successful by checking: claw --version
  5. 5. After upgrading, review workspace .env files to ensure no malicious PATH or executable overrides were introduced
  6. 6. Test that skill install flows work correctly with the updated version

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Openclaw Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation6.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
30.0 hours of engineering $5,280
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-53819 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data