Affected: OpenClaw

OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.22 contain an authorization bypass vulnerability in allow-always wrapper persistence that allows attackers to bypass approval checks by persisting wrapper-level allowlist entries instead of validating inner executable intent. Remote attackers can approve benign wrapped system.run commands and subsequently execute different payloads without approval, enabling remote code execution on gateway and node-host execution flows.

Affected: npm: openclaw

### Summary In `openclaw` npm releases up to and including `2026.2.21-2`, approving wrapped `system.run` commands with `allow-always` in `security=allowlist` mode could persist wrapper-level allowlist entries and enable later approval-bypass execution of different inner payloads.

### Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected versions: `<= 2026.2.21-2` - Planned patched version: `2026.2.22`

### Details `allow-always` persistence was based on wrapper-level resolution instead of stable inner executable intent. A benign approved wrapper invocation could therefore broaden future trust boundaries.

Affected paths included gateway and node-host execution approval persistence flows. The fix now persists inner executable paths for known dispatch-wrapper chains (`env`, `nice`, `nohup`, `stdbuf`, `timeout`) and fails closed when safe unwrapping cannot be derived.

### Impact Authorization boundary bypass in allowlist mode, potentially leading to approval-free command execution (RCE class) on subsequent wrapped invocations.

### Mitigation Upgrade to `2026.2.22` (planned next release) or run with stricter exec policy (`ask=always` / `security=deny`) until upgraded.

### Fix Commit(s) - `24c954d972400f508814532dea0e4dcb38418bb0`

### Release Process Note `patched_versions` is pre-set to `2026.2.22` so this advisory is publish-ready; publish after the npm release is live.

OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.