OpenClaw gateway agents.files symlink escape allowed out-of-workspace file read/write

Impact

The gateway agents.files.get and agents.files.set methods allowed symlink traversal for allowlisted workspace files. A symlinked allowlisted file (for example AGENTS.md) could resolve outside the agent workspace and be read/written by the gateway process.

This could enable arbitrary host file read/write within the gateway process permissions, and chained impact up to code execution depending on which files are overwritten.

Affected Packages / Versions

• Package: openclaw (npm)
• Affected versions: <= 2026.2.24
• Latest published vulnerable version at patch time: 2026.2.24
• Patched versions: >= 2026.2.25

Remediation

agents.files now resolves real workspace paths, enforces containment for resolved targets, rejects out-of-workspace symlink targets, and keeps in-workspace symlink targets supported. The patch also adds gateway regression tests for blocked escapes and valid in-workspace symlink behavior.

Fix Commit(s)

• 125f4071bcbc0de32e769940d07967db47f09d3d

Release Process Note

patched_versions is intentionally pre-set to the release (2026.2.25). Advisory published with npm release 2026.2.25.

OpenClaw thanks @tdjackey for reporting.