OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.2.14 perform TAR archive extraction without validating the entry paths. The flaw allows malicious archives to contain traversal sequences such as ../../, causing the extraction routine to write files to locations outside the intended directory. An attacker could overwrite critical configuration files or drop executable code, giving them the same privileges as the OpenClaw process.

All OpenClaw releases before 2026.2.14 are affected. The vulnerability resides in the Node.js package of OpenClaw, and no other version constraints are specified beyond the version boundary. Users who have not upgraded to 2026.2.14 or later remain at risk.

The CVSS score of 8.3 indicates high severity, while an EPSS score of less than 1% suggests a very low but non‑zero probability of exploitation. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, implying no publicly known active exploits. The likely attack vector requires an attacker to supply a malformed TAR archive to the OpenClaw extraction routine; if such archives can be provided remotely through an API or upload endpoint, the potential impact increases. If the archive originates locally, the risk is confined to the host system. The flaw compromises file integrity and can lead to arbitrary code execution when an attacker overwrites executable or privileged files.