Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2026-31992 lets a logged-in OpenClaw operator bypass command allowlist guardrails and run unintended commands when /usr/bin/env is permitted. This is not an unauthenticated internet takeover, but it can turn limited operator access into damaging command execution. OpenClaw versions before 2026.2.23 are identified as affected.
Executive priority
Treat as a high-priority remediation for OpenClaw environments with operator command execution enabled. Prioritize patching before routine maintenance if OpenClaw is used for automation, deployment, or administrative workflows where unintended commands could affect production systems.
Technical view
OpenClaw system.run policy analysis can be bypassed through /usr/bin/env behavior involving env -S. If /usr/bin/env is allowlisted, runtime execution may differ from the guardrail’s analysis, allowing unintended shell wrapper execution. CVSS v4.0 is 7.1 high, with network attack vector, low complexity, and low privileges required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in OpenClaw deployments before 2026.2.23 where authenticated operators can use system.run and /usr/bin/env is allowlisted. Systems without operator access paths or without this allowlist condition appear less exposed based on the provided sources.
Exploitation context
Sources describe authenticated exploitation requiring low privileges and no user interaction. The CVE is not listed as CISA KEV in the provided bundle, and no cited source here establishes active exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
The source bundle states OpenClaw versions before 2026.2.23 are affected, but the structured affected entry lists version “0” with defaultStatus “unaffected,” which is inconsistent. Rely on the vendor advisory and patch references for final scoping. No public active exploitation evidence is provided here.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.2.23 or later.
- Review the GitHub advisory and patch commits for vendor-confirmed remediation details.
- Review system.run allowlists, especially any allowance for /usr/bin/env.
- If vendor guidance permits, remove /usr/bin/env from allowlists until patched.
- Audit operator accounts and restrict system.run access to necessary users only.
Validation and detection
- Inventory OpenClaw instances and record their installed versions.
- Identify whether system.run is enabled for authenticated operators.
- Check allowlist configuration for /usr/bin/env.
- Confirm the 2026.2.23 fix or referenced patch commits are present.
- Review logs for unusual system.run activity by operator accounts.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-184: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-31992 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.1 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L2.84.2VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
7.1HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.1HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-48wf-g7cp-gr3m)CVE reference, VulnCheck · vendor-advisory
- Patch CommitCVE reference, VulnCheck · patch
- Patch CommitCVE reference, VulnCheck · patch
- VulnCheck Advisory: OpenClaw < 2026.2.23 - Allowlist Exec-Guard Bypass via env -SCVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs
Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.