CVE-2026-101880
OpenClaw Windows Node before 2026.7.1 contains an incorrect authorization vulnerability in the system.run exec-approval
Summary
OpenClaw Windows Node before 2026.7.1 contains an incorrect authorization vulnerability in the system.run exec-approval policy where ExecShellWrapperParser fails to split commands on pipe operators or extract command substitutions. Connected gateways or agents can bypass approval rules by placing denied commands behind allowed prefixes using pipe operators or command substitution syntax, achieving arbitrary command execution on Windows hosts.
Published 2026-09-30 · first seen here 2026-10-10
Analysis & write-ups
No technical write-up from a research team yet. Contact Zero checks Unit 42, Google/Mandiant, Microsoft, Talos, CrowdStrike, Rapid7, watchTowr and others several times a day, plus NVD and CISA reference links.
Where it shows in your logs
Windows or Active Directory · Authentication bypass or missing authorisation high confidence
What to look for
- Admin or API actions with no successful login before them in the same session
- New admin accounts, API keys or tokens created shortly after unusual requests
- Requests to admin or API endpoints from internet IPs
- Processes running as SYSTEM whose parent is a normal user process
- New local or domain admin accounts, or users added to privileged groups
- Unusual logons (type 3 or 10) to servers right before suspicious processes start
Data sources
Process creation · ATT&CK DS0009 Process Creation
- Sentinel
DeviceProcessEventsSecurityEvent (4688)Sysmon Event ID 1_Im_ProcessCreate- Splunk
Endpoint.ProcessesXmlWinEventLog:Microsoft-Windows-Sysmon/OperationalWinEventLog:Security (4688)- CrowdStrike
ProcessRollup2SyntheticProcessRollup2
Authentication and sessions · ATT&CK DS0028 Logon Session Creation / DS0002 User Account Authentication
- Sentinel
SigninLogsSecurityEvent (4624, 4625, 4648)DeviceLogonEventsIdentityLogonEvents_Im_Authentication- Splunk
Authentication.Authenticationpan:globalprotectVPN sourcetypes- CrowdStrike
UserLogonUserLogonFailed2Falcon Identity Protection events
Account and group changes · ATT&CK DS0002 User Account Creation / Modification
- Sentinel
SecurityEvent (4720, 4728, 4732, 4756)AuditLogsIdentityDirectoryEvents- Splunk
Change.All_Changes (Account_Management)WinEventLog:Security (4720, 4732)- CrowdStrike
UserAccountCreatedUserAccountAddedToGroup
A generic baseline worked out from the product type and weakness (CWE-863), not a detection. Check table and field names against your environment. Hunt queries for Sigma, Splunk, Sentinel and CrowdStrike are coming.
References
- NVD entry
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/blob/v0.6.12/src/OpenClaw.Shared/ExecShellWrapperParser.cs#L253
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/commit/2077aa3e7159101bddcee2f4efcb9d604a81619e
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/releases/tag/v2026.7.1
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/security/advisories/GHSA-r3x2-vf2f-vvj8
- https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw-windows-node/security/advisories/GHSA-vg38-vjq2-vgvh
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-windows-node-before-2026.7.1-authorization-bypass