Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
OpenClaw before 2026.2.17 can be tricked into including files outside its intended configuration directory. Someone who can modify OpenClaw configuration could read sensitive local files available to the OpenClaw process, such as credentials or API keys.
Executive priority
Treat this as a timely patching and configuration-hardening item, especially where OpenClaw hosts secrets. It is not documented as actively exploited, but the confidentiality impact can be significant after privileged access is obtained.
Technical view
The $include directive resolution permits path traversal through absolute paths, traversal sequences, or symlinks. CVSS 4.0 scores it 6.7 with local attack vector and high privileges required. The documented impact is high confidentiality loss, with no stated integrity or availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to OpenClaw deployments before 2026.2.17 where users or processes can modify configuration. Risk rises if OpenClaw runs with broad file-read permissions or stores secrets on the same host.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not report active exploitation, and KEV is false. Exploitation requires config modification capabilities, so this is mainly a post-compromise, insider, or overly broad administration risk rather than a remote unauthenticated issue.
Researcher notes
Focus validation on include resolution boundary enforcement and file permissions. The source bundle supports arbitrary local file read outside the config directory, but does not provide evidence of public exploitation or additional affected products.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade OpenClaw to 2026.2.17 or later.
- Review the GitHub advisory and patch commit for vendor-specific guidance.
- Restrict who and what can modify OpenClaw configuration files.
- Run OpenClaw with least-privilege file permissions.
- Rotate secrets if suspicious configuration changes are found.
Validation and detection
- Inventory OpenClaw versions and flag anything before 2026.2.17.
- Review configuration history for unusual $include entries.
- Check for absolute paths, traversal sequences, or symlink-based include targets.
- Confirm the OpenClaw process cannot read unnecessary secret files.
- Review audit logs for unauthorized configuration modification.
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-22: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. 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 lookupFile access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-32061 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
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.7 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/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:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N0.83.6VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
6.7MediumVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Base CVSS 3.1 score
4.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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-56pc-6hvp-4gv4)CVE reference, VulnCheck · vendor-advisory
- Patch CommitCVE reference, VulnCheck · patch
- VulnCheck Advisory: OpenClaw < 2026.2.17 - Arbitrary File Read via $include Directive Path TraversalCVE 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.
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.