GHSA-w7j5-j98m-w679 OpenClaw has multiple E2E/test Dockerfiles that run all processes as root
OpenClaw test Dockerfiles run as root, allowing attackers to gain root privileges inside the container if a process is compromised.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is GHSA-w7j5-j98m-w679?
GHSA-w7j5-j98m-w679 is a vulnerability in openclaw, published on 3 Mar 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Three Dockerfiles in scripts/docker/ and scripts/e2e/ lack a USER directive, meaning all processes run as uid 0 (root). If any process is compromised, the attacker has root inside the container, making container breakout significantly easier. Partial fix (2026-02-08): Commit 28e1a65e added USER sandbox to Dockerfile.sandbox and Dockerfile.sandbox-browser. The E2E/test Dockerfiles listed below remain unpatched.
Affected components:
- scripts/e2e/Dockerfile
- scripts/e2e/Dockerfile.qr-import
- scripts/docker/install-sh-e2e/Dockerfile
- scripts/docker/install-sh-nonroot/Dockerfile (runs as app but with NOPASSWD sudo — see related advisory)
Technical Reproduction:
- Open each Dockerfile listed above and search for a USER directive — none found.
- Run any of these containers: docker run –rm -it <image> id
- Observe: returns uid=0(root).
Demonstrated Impact:
- Root inside the container enables kernel exploit attempts, volume mount abuse, and privileged syscall access.
- Test images share the same base (node:22-bookworm) as production, creating risk of accidental deployment of root-running images.
Environment: Base images node:22-bookworm and node:22-bookworm-slim default to root. Dockerfile.sandbox and Dockerfile.sandbox-browser were remediated in commit 28e1a65e; only the E2E/test images listed above remain affected.
Remediation: Add a USER directive before CMD/ENTRYPOINT in each remaining Dockerfile: RUN useradd –create-home –shell /bin/bash appuser USER appuser
Which versions are affected by GHSA-w7j5-j98m-w679?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including openclaw.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
openclaw npm | All versions | 2026.2.21 |
openclaw npm | All versions | 2026.2.21 |
How do I fix GHSA-w7j5-j98m-w679?
Upgrade openclaw to 2026.2.21 or later.
Is GHSA-w7j5-j98m-w679 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of GHSA-w7j5-j98m-w679 in the wild and no public exploit code.