OpenClaw: Hardlink alias checks could bypass workspace-only file boundaries in specific configurations
Date: 2026-03
Affected: npm/openclaw
Attack vector: path-traversal
Category: vulnerability-disclosure
Severity: High
CWE: CWE-59
CWE-668

### Summary In certain workspace-restricted configurations, OpenClaw could follow hardlink aliases inside the workspace that reference files outside the workspace boundary. By default, `tools.fs.workspaceOnly` is off. This primarily affects deployments that intentionally enable workspace-only filesystem restrictions (and workspace-only `apply_patch` checks). ### Impact - Confidentiality: out-of-workspace files could be read through in-workspace hardlink aliases. - Integrity: out-of-workspace files could be modified through in-workspace hardlink aliases. ### Affected Packages / Versions - Package: `openclaw` (npm) - Latest published version at triage time: `2026.2.24` - Affected range: `<= 2026.2.24` - Planned patched version: `2026.2.25` ### Fix Commit(s) - `04d91d0319b82fd4de91ed05e9fc5219ff2ab64e` (main) ### Remediation OpenClaw now rejects hardlinked final-file aliases during workspace boundary validation for: - workspace-only path checks (`read` / `write` / `edit`) - workspace-only `apply_patch` read/write paths - sandbox mount-root path-safety checks Regression tests were added for `apply_patch`, workspace fs tools, and sandbox fs bridge hardlink alias escapes. OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.


Mitigations:

Architectural layers (MAESTRO):