VulnerabilityPublished 12 Mar 2026

CVE-2026-4039: OpenClaw · Code Injection

Affects OpenClawSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.3 Medium.

Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 11:52 UTC

CVSS 4.0 base score

5.3Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 25% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Requirements: None
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low
Vulnerable system integrity: Low
Vulnerable system availability: Low
Subsequent system confidentiality: None
Subsequent system integrity: None
Subsequent system availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable system is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed below, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed “remotely exploitable” and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: The attacker must take no measurable action to exploit the vulnerability. The attack requires no target-specific circumvention to exploit the vulnerability. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: None: The successful attack does not depend on the deployment and execution conditions of the vulnerable system. The attacker can expect to be able to reach the vulnerability and execute the exploit under all or most instances of the vulnerability.
Privileges Required: Low: The attacker requires privileges that provide basic capabilities that are typically limited to settings and resources owned by a single low-privileged user. Alternatively, an attacker with Low privileges has the ability to access only non-sensitive resources.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without interaction from any human user, other than the attacker.
Vulnerable system confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system integrity: Low: Modification of data is possible, but the attacker does not have control over the consequence of a modification, or the amount of modification is limited. The data modification does not have a direct, serious impact to the Vulnerable System.
Vulnerable system availability: Low: Performance is reduced or there are interruptions in resource availability. Even if repeated exploitation of the vulnerability is possible, the attacker does not have the ability to completely deny service to legitimate users. The resources in the Vulnerable System are either partially available all of the time, or fully available only some of the time, but overall there is no direct, serious consequence to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system confidentiality: None: There is no loss of confidentiality within the Subsequent System or all confidentiality impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the Subsequent System or all integrity impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.
Subsequent system availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the Subsequent System or all availability impact is constrained to the Vulnerable System.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v4.0 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 12 Mar 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 30 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponized: A Metasploit exploit module or Exploit-DB entry exists (Metasploit scanner modules do not count), or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
OpenClaw	Affected =2026.2.19-2	Fixed in–
GitHubopenclaw/openclaw`pkg:github/openclaw/openclaw`Other threats	Affected =2026.2.19-2	Fixed in–

CPE configurations (1)

cpe:2.3:a:openclaw:openclaw:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2026-4039, organizations should promptly upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.2.21-beta.1 or later, which contains the patch addressing the vulnerability. In environments where immediate upgrading is not feasible, implement network-level controls to restrict access to the affected component, such as firewall rules limiting inbound traffic to trusted sources only. Employ intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to monitor for anomalous activity targeting the applySkillConfigenvOverrides function or unusual code injection attempts. Conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on any custom integrations or extensions interfacing with the Skill Env Handler to reduce injection risks. Regularly audit and monitor logs for signs of exploitation attempts or suspicious behavior. Maintain an asset inventory to identify all systems running vulnerable OpenClaw versions to prioritize patching efforts. Additionally, consider deploying application-layer firewalls or runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions to detect and block injection attacks dynamically. Finally, educate relevant personnel about the vulnerability and ensure incident response plans include procedures for handling potential exploitation scenarios.

Description

A vulnerability was determined in OpenClaw 2026.2.19-2. This vulnerability affects the function applySkillConfigenvOverrides of the component Skill Env Handler. Executing a manipulation can lead to code injection. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. Upgrading to version 2026.2.21-beta.1 is able to resolve this issue. This patch is called 8c9f35cdb51692b650ddf05b259ccdd75cc9a83c. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Impact

The primary impact of CVE-2026-4039 is the potential for remote code execution on systems running the vulnerable OpenClaw version. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, leading to unauthorized access, data leakage, or disruption of service. Confidentiality could be compromised if attackers access sensitive data or credentials. Integrity risks arise if attackers modify configurations or data, potentially causing system misbehavior or malicious actions. Availability could be affected if injected code disrupts normal operations or causes crashes. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, exposed systems are at significant risk, especially those accessible over the internet or untrusted networks. Organizations relying on OpenClaw for critical operations may face operational disruptions, reputational damage, and compliance issues if exploited. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits following public disclosure. The medium severity score reflects a balanced risk profile but should not lead to complacency given the remote code execution potential.

References

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