The vulnerability is a path traversal flaw in OpenClaw’s media parsing logic that allows an attacker to read arbitrary files. The flaw stems from inadequate validation in the isLikelyLocalPath() and isValidMedia() functions, combined with an allowBareFilename bypass that can reference files outside the intended application sandbox. By supplying a crafted media path, an attacker can read system files, environment files, and SSH private keys, resulting in significant confidentiality loss.

The affected product is OpenClaw by OpenClaw. Versions up to 2026.3.23 are vulnerable; the issue was fixed in commit 4797bbc5b and applies to releases prior to that. No other vendors or products are listed as impacted.

The CVSS score of 8.7 indicates high severity. The EPSS score is below 1%, suggesting a relatively low probability of widespread exploitation, and the vulnerability is not included in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list. Attackers would exploit this flaw by supplying a specially crafted media file to trigger the path traversal, which is inferred from the media parsing context. The vulnerability affects confidentiality by enabling the reading of sensitive files; integrity and availability impacts are not described in the provided information.