CVE-2026-27523: Sandbox Bypass in openclaw

The vulnerability stems from a flaw in validateBindMounts where symlink traversal wasn't fully canonicalized when a bind source used a symlinked parent and a non-existent leaf path. An attacker could craft a malicious bind source path leveraging symlinks to point outside the intended sandbox boundaries. This could lead to unauthorized access to files and directories on the host system, potentially including sensitive data or configuration files. The impact is particularly concerning in environments where openclaw is used to isolate untrusted code or processes.

1. Reserved2026-02-19
2. Published2026-03-03
3. Modified2026-03-18
4. EPSS updated2026-03-25

The primary mitigation is to upgrade to version 2026.2.24 or later once released. Prior to upgrading, consider restricting the use of symlinks within bind mounts to minimize the attack surface. Implement stricter validation of bind mount source paths, ensuring that the full path is canonicalized and that the target directory exists. Review and audit existing openclaw configurations to identify potential vulnerabilities. While a patch is pending, consider using a WAF to filter requests containing suspicious bind mount paths.