CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2026-55249 — @rtk-ai/rtk-rewrite transparently rewrites shell commands executed via OpenClaw's exec tool to their RTK equivalents

High CVSS 8.8

@rtk-ai/rtk-rewrite transparently rewrites shell commands executed via OpenClaw's exec tool to their RTK equivalents. In 1.0.0, the @rtk-ai/rtk-rewrite OpenClaw plugin passes attacker-controlled input directly into a shell-backed execSync() template string without shell-safe escaping. JSON.stringify() wraps the value in double quotes and escapes inner double-quotes and backslashes, but leaves $() and backtick shell metacharacters untouched. Because execSync delegates execution to /bin/sh -c, the shell expands $(...) substitutions even inside double-quoted strings, causing the injected subcommand to execute before rtk is invoked. An attacker who can influence the exec tool's command parameter (e.g., via an LLM agent prompt or gateway/tool-call input) achieves arbitrary OS command execution with the privileges of the plugin/gateway process.

Severity
High
CVSS
8.8 (3.1)
Published
2026-06-23
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
software/application
Weaknesses
CWE-78

Affected products

  • rtkai / rtk-rewrite / 1.0.0

Matched remediation archetype

Command, code, expression, and template injection

This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.

Check exposure

  • Trace untrusted values to process execution, interpreters, evaluators, template engines, dynamic imports, and administrative scripting features.
  • Determine whether the affected path is reachable across each trust boundary and which service account or host privilege it inherits.
  • Review configuration for optional execution features, unsafe compatibility modes, and shell invocation.

Remediate safely

  • Replace string-built commands or evaluated code with fixed operations and structured argument APIs that do not invoke a shell.
  • Use strict allowlists for operation identifiers and reject unexpected input before it reaches any interpreter.
  • Update the affected component and add inert regression tests covering metacharacters, encoding variants, and alternate request paths.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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