OpenClaw versions prior to 2026.4.10 contain an input validation flaw in the agent hook event handling logic. External hook metadata supplied by attackers can be enqueued as trusted system events, giving the attacker the ability to elevate untrusted input into an internal agent context. The flaw, identified as CWE‑345, enables injection of malicious data that can be executed with elevated privileges, potentially leading to remote code execution if the hook API is reachable from an attacker-controlled source.

All deployments of OpenClaw running any release before 2026.4.10 are affected. The vulnerability exists in the core application built on a Node.js runtime and applies to every installation that employs the default hook handling mechanism. No specific hardware or firmware variants are mentioned, so the attack surface covers all general‑purpose installations using the standard hook API.

The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 9.3, designating it as critical. EPSS information is not available, so a quantitative likelihood of exploitation cannot be calculated, but the absence of mitigations implies that the flaw remains exploitable in environments where external hooks are enabled. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. The likely attack vector is through the hook registration endpoint, which, if exposed to an attacker, could allow the injection of malicious hook names and result in privilege escalation or remote code execution.