CVE-2026-41383
Received Received - Intake
Arbitrary Directory Deletion in OpenClaw Mirror Mode

Publication date: 2026-04-28

Last updated on: 2026-05-01

Assigner: VulnCheck

Description
OpenClaw before 2026.4.2 contains an arbitrary directory deletion vulnerability in mirror mode that allows attackers to delete remote directories by influencing remoteWorkspaceDir and remoteAgentWorkspaceDir configuration values. Attackers can manipulate these OpenShell config paths to cause mirror sync operations to delete unintended remote directory contents and replace them with uploaded workspace data.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-04-28
Last Modified
2026-05-01
Generated
2026-05-06
AI Q&A
2026-04-28
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
EUVD
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
openclaw openclaw to 2026.4.2 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-22 The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:

The provided information does not specify any direct impact of CVE-2026-41383 on compliance with common standards and regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA.


Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

CVE-2026-41383 is a vulnerability in OpenClaw versions before 2026.4.2 that allows attackers to delete remote directories arbitrarily. This happens because the mirror mode feature improperly handles configuration paths named remoteWorkspaceDir and remoteAgentWorkspaceDir. Attackers can manipulate these paths to cause the mirror synchronization process to delete unintended remote directories and replace their contents with uploaded workspace data.

The root cause is a path traversal issue where the system does not properly restrict or validate the absolute paths used for remote workspace directories, allowing attackers to specify arbitrary locations for deletion and overwriting.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

This vulnerability can have a significant impact by allowing an attacker with some privileges to remotely delete important directories on the target system and replace their contents with attacker-controlled data. This can lead to data loss, disruption of services, and potential compromise of system integrity.

  • Loss of critical remote directory contents due to arbitrary deletion.
  • Replacement of deleted data with malicious or unauthorized workspace data.
  • Potential disruption of normal operations relying on the affected directories.

How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?

This vulnerability involves manipulation of the OpenShell configuration parameters `remoteWorkspaceDir` and `remoteAgentWorkspaceDir` in mirror mode, which can lead to arbitrary remote directory deletion during synchronization.

To detect if your system is vulnerable, check the OpenClaw version installed and inspect the configuration values for these parameters to see if they allow arbitrary or absolute paths outside the managed roots.

Suggested commands include:

  • Check OpenClaw version: `openclaw --version` or check package.json dependencies for OpenClaw version.
  • Search configuration files or environment variables for `remoteWorkspaceDir` and `remoteAgentWorkspaceDir` values to verify if they are set to absolute paths outside `/sandbox` or `/agent`.
  • Use commands like `grep -r 'remoteWorkspaceDir' /path/to/configs` or `grep -r 'remoteAgentWorkspaceDir' /path/to/configs` to locate these settings.
  • Monitor network traffic for suspicious mirror sync operations that might trigger remote directory deletions, though specific network detection commands are not provided.

What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?

To mitigate this vulnerability, immediately upgrade OpenClaw to version 2026.4.2 or later, where the issue is fixed by constraining remote workspace directories to specific managed roots.

Ensure that the configuration parameters `remoteWorkspaceDir` and `remoteAgentWorkspaceDir` are set only to absolute paths under `/sandbox` or `/agent`.

If upgrading is not immediately possible, manually validate and restrict these configuration paths to prevent arbitrary absolute paths that could be exploited.

Review and apply the patch identified by commit `b21c9840c2e38f4bb338d031511b479d5f07ca25` which enforces path normalization and validation.

Additionally, monitor and audit mirror sync operations to detect any unauthorized directory deletions.


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