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[Bug] exec.security='full' completely broken in 2026.3.31 — exec approvals cannot be disabled at all #59079

Description

@akihara-sam

Bug Description

STOP SHIPPING BROKEN SECURITY FEATURES.

In OpenClaw 2026.3.31, setting exec.security: 'full' in ~/.openclaw/exec-approvals.json DOES NOT WORK. The approval system continues to enforce allowlist for EVERY SINGLE command, completely bypassing the documented behavior.

This is not a minor issue — it's a complete failure of the security configuration system. Users have NO WAY to disable exec approvals without manually allowlisting 70+ binary paths, and even that doesn't fully work because any new command format still fails.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Install OpenClaw 2026.3.31
  2. Set exec.security: 'full' and exec.ask: 'off' in ~/.openclaw/exec-approvals.json
  3. Try running ANY command not in the allowlist
  4. Result: exec denied: allowlist misseven with security set to full

Expected Behavior

According to the docs:

  • security: 'full' should "allow everything (equivalent to elevated)"
  • ask: 'off' should "never prompt"

Reality: Neither works. Every command requires explicit allowlist entry.

Impact

Workaround

None that are practical. Manually adding 70+ binary paths to allowlist is not a solution — it's a band-aid on a arterial wound.

The only workable solution is to downgrade to 2026.3.28, which does not have this problem.

Environment

  • OpenClaw version: 2026.3.31
  • macOS: Darwin 25.3.0
  • Node: v22.22.0
  • Deployment: local gateway

Configuration Used

{
  "version": 1,
  "defaults": {
    "security": "full",
    "ask": "off",
    "askFallback": "full",
    "autoAllowSkills": true
  },
  "agents": {
    "main": {
      "security": "full",
      "ask": "off"
    }
  }
}

Suggested Fix

  1. Make security: 'full' actually allow all exec without allowlist
  2. Or if there's a technical reason it can't work, at least give users a clear exec.security: 'disabled' option
  3. Document the actual behavior, don't advertise 'full' if it doesn't work

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