Affected: OpenClaw

OpenClaw before 2026.3.31 contains an exec allowlist bypass vulnerability allowing attackers to inherit allowlist trust via shell init-file wrapper invocations. Attackers can exploit shell options like --rcfile, --init-file, and --startup-file to load attacker-chosen initialization files while bypassing exec allowlist matching restrictions.

Affected: npm: openclaw

## Summary

Before OpenClaw 2026.3.31, exec allowlist matching could treat shell init-file wrapper invocations as if the approved script itself were being executed. Shell options such as `--rcfile`, `--init-file`, and `--startup-file` could therefore inherit allowlist trust from a matched script path even though the shell loaded attacker-chosen initialization first.

## Impact

This issue only applied when exec allowlist or allow-always behavior was enabled and the attacker could steer a shell-wrapper command shape that used init-file options. The result was a narrower allowlist bypass, not generic arbitrary command execution from an untrusted boundary.

## Affected Packages / Versions

- Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Affected versions: `< 2026.3.31` - Patched versions: `>= 2026.3.31` - Latest published npm version: `2026.4.1`

## Fix Commit(s)

- `0c8375424620e12777ef24c162eedc7e9fcfd7e3` — reject shell init-file script matches

## Release Process Note

The fix shipped in OpenClaw `2026.3.31` on March 31, 2026. The current published npm release `2026.4.1` from April 1, 2026 also contains the fix.

Thanks @cyjhhh for reporting.