📄 Description (English)
OpenClaw before 2026.4.22 contains a time-of-check/time-of-use race condition in the OpenShell filesystem bridge that allows attackers to read files outside the intended mount root. Attackers can exploit symlink swaps during filesystem operations to bypass sandbox restrictions and access unauthorized file contents.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2026-44113 is a high-severity time-of-check/time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition in OpenClaw's OpenShell filesystem bridge that allows attackers to bypass sandbox restrictions and read arbitrary files outside the intended mount root through symlink manipulation. This vulnerability affects Node.js-based applications and poses significant risk to organizations using OpenClaw for containerized or sandboxed environments. With no patch currently available, immediate compensating controls are critical for Saudi organizations relying on this software.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 13, 2026 20:34
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability poses significant risk to Saudi government agencies, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure operators using OpenClaw for containerized applications. Banking sector (SAMA-regulated entities) faces elevated risk if OpenClaw is used in payment processing or customer data handling systems. Telecommunications providers (STC, Mobily) and energy sector organizations (ARAMCO, SEC) utilizing Node.js-based containerized services are at risk of unauthorized data access. Healthcare organizations using OpenClaw for patient data isolation could face HIPAA-equivalent compliance violations under Saudi healthcare regulations. Government entities under NCA oversight face potential exposure of classified or sensitive national data.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking and Financial Services
Government and Public Administration
Healthcare and Medical Services
Energy and Utilities
Telecommunications
Critical Infrastructure
Defense and Security
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
T1036 - Masquerading (symlink manipulation)
T1083 - File and Directory Discovery
T1005 - Data from Local System
T1040 - Network Sniffing (potential lateral movement)
T1548 - Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism (sandbox bypass)
T1611 - Escape to Host (container escape implications)
T1027 - Obfuscation of Files or Information (symlink swapping)
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
8.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Inventory all OpenClaw deployments across your organization, particularly those handling sensitive data or running in production environments
2. Implement strict file system access controls and disable symlink following in OpenClaw configurations where possible
3. Apply principle of least privilege to all processes running OpenClaw containers
4. Enable comprehensive audit logging for all filesystem operations within OpenClaw sandboxes
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (until patch available):
5. Isolate OpenClaw instances on dedicated network segments with restricted egress
6. Implement mandatory access controls (MAC) using AppArmor or SELinux to restrict file access beyond sandbox boundaries
7. Deploy file integrity monitoring (FIM) on sensitive directories to detect unauthorized access attempts
8. Use read-only filesystems where possible and mount only necessary directories
9. Implement rate limiting and anomaly detection for rapid filesystem operations
DETECTION RULES:
10. Monitor for symlink creation/modification patterns followed by file access operations
11. Alert on processes accessing files outside their designated mount points
12. Track EACCES and ENOENT errors in rapid succession indicating TOCTOU exploitation
13. Log all failed sandbox escape attempts and privilege escalation attempts
PATCHING STRATEGY:
14. Subscribe to OpenClaw security advisories and prepare for immediate deployment of version 2026.4.22 or later when available
15. Maintain isolated test environments to validate patches before production deployment
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. قم بحصر جميع نشرات OpenClaw عبر مؤسستك، خاصة تلك التي تتعامل مع البيانات الحساسة أو تعمل في بيئات الإنتاج
2. تطبيق ضوابط صارمة على الوصول إلى نظام الملفات وتعطيل متابعة الروابط الرمزية في تكوينات OpenClaw حيث أمكن
3. تطبيق مبدأ أقل امتياز على جميع العمليات التي تشغل حاويات OpenClaw
4. تفعيل تسجيل التدقيق الشامل لجميع عمليات نظام الملفات داخل صناديق OpenClaw
الضوابط التعويضية (حتى توفر التصحيح):
5. عزل مثيلات OpenClaw على أجزاء شبكة مخصصة مع خروج مقيد
6. تطبيق ضوابط الوصول الإلزامية (MAC) باستخدام AppArmor أو SELinux لتقييد الوصول إلى الملفات خارج حدود الحماية الرملية
7. نشر مراقبة سلامة الملفات (FIM) على الدلائل الحساسة للكشف عن محاولات الوصول غير المصرح بها
8. استخدام أنظمة ملفات للقراءة فقط حيث أمكن وتثبيت الدلائل الضرورية فقط
9. تطبيق تحديد معدل الطلب والكشف عن الشذوذ لعمليات نظام الملفات السريعة
قواعد الكشف:
10. مراقبة أنماط إنشاء/تعديل الروابط الرمزية متبوعة بعمليات الوصول إلى الملفات
11. تنبيه الوصول إلى الملفات خارج نقاط التثبيت المخصصة لها
12. تتبع أخطاء EACCES و ENOENT في تتابع سريع يشير إلى استغلال TOCTOU
13. تسجيل جميع محاولات الهروب من الحماية الرملية الفاشلة ومحاولات تصعيد الامتيازات
استراتيجية التصحيح:
14. الاشتراك في تنبيهات أمان OpenClaw والتحضير للنشر الفوري للإصدار 2026.4.22 أو أحدث عند توفره
15. الحفاظ على بيئات اختبار معزولة للتحقق من صحة التصحيحات قبل نشرها في الإنتاج
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
ECC 2024 A.5.2.1 - Access control and authorization
ECC 2024 A.5.3.1 - Cryptography and data protection
ECC 2024 A.5.4.1 - Physical and environmental security
ECC 2024 A.6.1.1 - Asset management and inventory
ECC 2024 A.6.2.1 - Incident management and response
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.AM-1 - Asset Management
SAMA CSF ID.RA-1 - Risk Assessment
SAMA CSF PR.AC-1 - Access Control
SAMA CSF PR.PT-1 - Data Protection
SAMA CSF DE.CM-1 - Detection and Analysis
SAMA CSF RS.RP-1 - Response Planning
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.1 - Policies for information security
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.2 - Information security roles and responsibilities
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.3 - Segregation of duties
ISO 27001:2022 A.6.1 - Screening
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.1 - User endpoint devices
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.2 - Privileged access rights
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.3 - Information access restriction
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.3 - Segregation of networks
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 1.1 - Firewall configuration standards
PCI DSS 2.1 - Default security parameters
PCI DSS 6.2 - Security patches and updates
PCI DSS 7.1 - Limit access to cardholder data
PCI DSS 10.1 - Implement audit trails
🔗 References & Sources 3
🔗
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/95119017c847c737bd113f0bff728c4666d79c45
disclosure@vulncheck.com
Patch
🔗
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/security/advisories/GHSA-5h3g-6xhh-rg6p
disclosure@vulncheck.com
Mitigation
Vendor Advisory
🔗
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openclaw-time-of-check-time-of-use-race-condition-...
disclosure@vulncheck.com
Third Party Advisory
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
openclaw:openclaw