CVE-2026-53836
OpenClaw before 2026.5.12 contains an allowlist bypass vulnerability in PowerShell encoded-command handling that allows attackers to execute encoded commands using abbreviated flag aliases not recognized by the allowlist parser.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.45%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
OpenClaw before 2026.5.12 contains an allowlist bypass vulnerability in PowerShell encoded-command handling that allows attackers to execute encoded commands using abbreviated flag aliases not recognized by the allowlist parser. Remote authenticated operators can bypass execution allowlist checks by using unrecognized encoded-command alias forms to execute arbitrary PowerShell content.
- CVSS 4.0
- 8.7 HIGHCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/M
- EPSS
- 0.45% probability · 38th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-184
- Affected
- openclaw/openclaw
- Source
- disclosure@vulncheck.com
References
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-j472-gf56-x589Mitigation, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-allowlist-bypass-via-powershell-encoded-command-aliasesThird Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.