OpenClaw's beta binds approval to a hook's final arguments
Stable 2026.10.3 and extended-stable 2026.8.35 accept trusted inline approval before ordinary before_tool_call hooks can replace the arguments. The repair first appears in 2026.10.5-beta.2 and remains in beta.3, published 2026-10-13. It isolates the approved snapshot and blocks replacement unless the hook requests approval for its final parameters. This is separate from the August exec-byte repair now inherited by extended-stable.
What this changes for operators
- Operators on either stable line: inventory before_tool_call hooks and remove or pin plugins you do not control. An approval for the original arguments does not cover a later replacement. Spend review on the hook’s actual transformation rather than trusting the displayed approval.
- Plugin authors can try beta.3 and return requireApproval with final parameters. Test that an unapproved rewrite is blocked and an approved replacement executes exactly those parameters; plugins relying on silent replacement must change.
- A stable containing 34d07e7b0dc1b5f0ed54de67a9647d9e6b8c23de or a verified equivalent backport, plus the replacement-argument test, would settle adoption. Neither a future version number nor an issue closure proves inclusion; no exploit was executed here.
Primary sources
- merged_pr 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/142700
- commit 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta github.com/openclaw/openclaw/commit/34d07e7b0dc1b5f0ed54de67a9647d9e6b8c23de
- tagged_commit_file 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta openclaw/openclaw / src/agents/agent-tools.before-tool-call.policy.ts#L303-L411
- tagged_commit_file 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta openclaw/openclaw / src/agents/agent-tools.before-tool-call.policy.ts#L291-L436
- tagged_commit_file 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta openclaw/openclaw / src/agents/agent-tools.before-tool-call.policy.ts#L277-L405
- merged_pr 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/169560
- merged_pr 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/168294
- github_release 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta openclaw/openclaw / v2026.10.5-beta.3
Signal metadata
Source findings
- 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta 2026-10-13-openclaw-hooks-can-rewrite-approved-arguments-on-stable-binding-is-fixed-only-in-beta
Featured in
- The Handoff Has an API / 2026-10-13
Run: 2026-10-13-profile-refresh-2026-09-21_2026-10-13-frontier-v0
Schema: bitter.frontier_signals.v0 / ID: 2026-10-13-openclaw-approval-binds-final-hook-arguments-in-beta
Research evidence and publication history are open in the repository.