CVE-2026-4039
OpenClaw: Skill env override host env injection via applySkillConfigEnvOverrides (defense-in-depth)
Impact
### Summary `applySkillConfigEnvOverrides` previously copied `skills.entries.*.env` values into the host `process.env` without applying the host env safety policy. ### Impact In affected versions, dangerous process-level variables such as `NODE_OPTIONS` could be injected when unset, which can influence runtime/child-process behavior. ### Required attacker capability An attacker must be able to modify OpenClaw local state/config (for example `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`) to set `skills.entries.<skill>.env` or related skill config values. ### Remediation Fixed in `2026.2.21` by sanitizing skill env overrides and blocking dangerous host env keys (including `NODE_OPTIONS`) before applying overrides, with regression tests covering blocked dangerous keys. ## Fix Commit(s) - `8c9f35cdb51692b650ddf05b259ccdd75cc9a83c` Found using [MCPwner](https://github.com/Pigyon/MCPwner)
Affected packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm | openclaw | < 2026.2.21 | 2026.2.21 |
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions |
|---|---|---|
| Openclaw | Openclaw | before 2026.2.21 |
Weakness classification
References
- NVD record
- CVE.org record
- GitHub advisory
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/8c9f35cdb51692b650ddf05b259ccdd75cc9a83c
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/releases/tag/v2026.2.21-beta.1
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-82g8-464f-2mv7
- https://vuldb.com/?ctiid.350651
- https://vuldb.com/?id.350651
- https://vuldb.com/?submit.769580
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-82g8-464f-2mv7
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/releases/tag/v2026.2.21
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-4039