OpenClaw: MCP stdio server env could load dangerous startup variables from workspace config
## Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected versions: `< 2026.4.20` - Patched version: `2026.4.20` ## Impact Workspace MCP stdio configuration could pass dangerous process-startup environment variables such as `NODE_OPTIONS`, `LD_PRELOAD`, or `BASH_ENV` to the spawned MCP server process. In a malicious workspace, this could make the MCP child load attacker-controlled code when the operator starts a session that uses that MCP server. The impact is limited to local/workspace trust boundaries and requires the operator to run OpenClaw in a workspace containing the malicious MCP configuration. Severity is therefore medium, not high/critical. ## Fix OpenClaw now filters MCP stdio environment entries through the host environment safety denylist before spawning stdio MCP servers. Fix commits: - `62fa5071896e95edc7f67d1cebc70a2859e283af` - `85d86ebc4bf3d2226d39d132a484f4f7a299fa1b` ## Release Fixed in OpenClaw `2026.4.20`.
describes (1)
Related CVEs.
| ID | severity | exploitable | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2026-44995US | — | — | ||
OpenClaw before 2026.4.20 contains an improper environment variable validation vulnerability in MCP stdio server configuration that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code. Mali… | ||||
references
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclawPACKAGE
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/62fa5071896e95edc7f67d1cebc70a2859e283afWEB
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/85d86ebc4bf3d2226d39d132a484f4f7a299fa1bWEB
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-mj59-h3q9-ghfhWEB
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-44995ADVISORY
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-arbitrary-code-execution-via-mcp-stdio-environment-variablesWEB
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