OpenClaw has multiple E2E/test Dockerfiles that run all processes as root
Date: 2026-03
Affected: npm/openclaw
Attack vector: malware
Category: vulnerability-disclosure
Severity: High
CWE: CWE-250

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:** 1. Open each Dockerfile listed above and search for a USER directive — none found. 2. Run any of these containers: docker run --rm -it <image> id 3. 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 a


Mitigations:

Architectural layers (MAESTRO):