Openclaw cli: OpenClaw safeBins grep -e File Read Bypass (stdin-only policy bypass) (CVE-2026-32022)

OpenClaw's tools.exec.safeBins configuration for grep allowed a stdin-only policy bypass due to how the -e/--regexp flag consumed its pattern argument, leaving room for one positional operand (a filename). This flaw permitted reading files from the working directory in contexts expected to restrict input to stdin. The vulnerability affects openclaw npm package versions <= 2026.2.19-2 and is patched in versions >= 2026.2.21. Exploitation requires grep to be explicitly added to safeBins and the ability to invoke the exec tooling under that profile. The CVSS v3.1 score is 6.5 (medium severity) with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.

If grep is enabled in safeBins, an attacker with low privilege and the ability to invoke exec tooling can bypass the stdin-only input restriction and read arbitrary files from the working directory, potentially exposing sensitive information such as environment variables or credentials. The impact is confidentiality loss without integrity or availability impact.

A fix is available in openclaw versions >= 2026.2.21. Users should upgrade to this version or later to remediate the vulnerability. The vulnerability only applies if grep is explicitly enabled in safeBins; if grep is not enabled, this issue does not apply. No additional mitigation is required beyond applying the official fix.