Why Safety Matters with OpenClaw

OpenClaw is extraordinarily powerful precisely because it has deep access to your system. It can read your files, execute commands, browse the web, and send messages on your behalf. This level of access is what makes it so useful, but it also means that security must be taken seriously.

Security researchers have identified what they call the "lethal trifecta" of risk factors in autonomous AI agents like OpenClaw: access to private data, exposure to untrusted content from the internet, the ability to communicate externally, and persistent memory that can be manipulated. Understanding these risks is the first step toward using OpenClaw safely.

"Approximately 25% of autonomous-agent skills contain security weaknesses that could be exploited by malicious actors." — Gen Digital Security Research, 2026

This guide covers the essential security practices that every OpenClaw user should implement, from basic configuration hardening to advanced isolation strategies.

1. Run the Security Audit

OpenClaw includes a built-in security audit tool that checks your installation for common misconfigurations and vulnerabilities. Run it immediately after installation and periodically thereafter:

openclaw security audit

The audit will check for exposed ports, weak file permissions, outdated dependencies, and known vulnerable skill versions. Follow its recommendations carefully — each finding includes a severity rating and specific remediation steps.

2. Use Docker-Based Sandboxing

The single most effective security measure you can take is running OpenClaw inside a Docker container. This creates an isolation boundary that limits what a compromised or misbehaving agent can access on your host system.

docker run -d \
  --name openclaw \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  --security-opt no-new-privileges \
  --cap-drop ALL \
  -v ~/.openclaw/config.yaml:/root/.openclaw/config.yaml:ro \
  -v ~/openclaw-workspace:/workspace \
  openclaw/openclaw:latest

Key Docker security flags to use:

Flag	Purpose
--security-opt no-new-privileges	Prevents the container from gaining additional privileges
--cap-drop ALL	Removes all Linux capabilities
:ro on config mount	Makes the configuration file read-only inside the container
Dedicated workspace volume	Limits file access to a specific directory

If Docker is not an option, consider using a dedicated user account with restricted permissions to run OpenClaw.

3. Restrict Messaging Access

By default, anyone who has your bot's contact information could potentially send it commands. This is a significant security risk. Configure strict access controls:

# In ~/.openclaw/config.yaml
messaging:
  # DM pairing / allowlists
  allowed_contacts:
    
"+1234567890"    # your phone number
    
"+0987654321"    # trusted family member
  
  # Block all unknown contacts
  block_unknown: true
  
  # Require @mention in group chats
  group_mention_required: true
  
  # Disable auto-joining new groups
  auto_join_groups: false

Use a separate phone number for your OpenClaw bot rather than your personal number. This creates a clear boundary between your personal communications and your AI assistant, and makes it easier to revoke access if needed.

4. Tighten File Permissions

OpenClaw's configuration directory contains sensitive information including your API keys and conversation history. Lock down its permissions:

# Restrict OpenClaw directory to owner only
chmod 700 ~/.openclaw
chmod 600 ~/.openclaw/config.yaml
chmod 600 ~/.openclaw/memory.db

Configure explicit file access boundaries in your configuration to prevent OpenClaw from accessing sensitive areas of your filesystem:

security:
  file_access:
    allowed_paths:
      
"~/Documents/openclaw-workspace"
      
"~/Downloads"
    blocked_paths:
      
"~/.ssh"
      
"~/.gnupg"
      
"~/.aws"
      
"~/.*"           # block all hidden directories by default
      
"/etc"
      
"/var"

5. Vet Skills Carefully

The skills ecosystem is one of OpenClaw's greatest strengths, but it is also a potential attack vector. Every skill you install is essentially code that runs with OpenClaw's full permissions. Treat skill installation with the same caution you would apply to installing any software on your computer.

Before installing a skill:

Review the skill's source code on GitHub or ClawhHub. Check the author's reputation and the number of users. Look for recent security audits or reviews. Read the permissions the skill requests and verify they make sense for its stated purpose.

After installing a skill:

Monitor OpenClaw's behavior for unexpected actions. Check the logs regularly for unusual API calls or file access patterns. Keep skills updated to receive security patches.

# Check installed skills and their versions
openclaw skills list --verbose

Update all skills to latest versions
openclaw skills update --all

Remove a skill you no longer need
openclaw skills remove <skill-name>

6. Use Modern, Instruction-Hardened Models

Not all AI models are equally resistant to prompt injection attacks. Newer models from major providers include specific training to resist manipulation attempts. Always use the latest available model version:

Provider	Recommended Model	Notes
Anthropic	Claude 3.5 Sonnet or later	Strong instruction following, good at refusing harmful requests
OpenAI	GPT-4o or later	Robust safety training, good at detecting manipulation
DeepSeek	DeepSeek V3 or later	Open-weights alternative with reasonable safety properties

Avoid using older or fine-tuned models that may not have adequate safety training, especially if OpenClaw has access to sensitive data or critical systems.

7. Lock Down Network Exposure

If you are running OpenClaw on a server or VPS, ensure it is not accidentally exposed to the internet. Security researchers discovered over 10,000 exposed OpenClaw instances leaking credentials and personal data in early 2026.

# Check for exposed ports
netstat -tlnp | grep openclaw

Ensure OpenClaw only listens on localhost
In config.yaml:
server:
  host: "127.0.0.1"    # never use 0.0.0.0
  port: 3456

If you need remote access, use a VPN or SSH tunnel rather than exposing OpenClaw's port directly.

8. Implement Monitoring and Logging

Enable comprehensive logging so you can audit what OpenClaw is doing:

logging:
  level: info
  file: ~/.openclaw/logs/openclaw.log
  max_size: 100MB
  retention: 30d
  
  # Log all external communications
  log_messages: true
  
  # Log all file operations
  log_file_access: true
  
  # Log all command executions
  log_commands: true

Review logs regularly for unexpected behavior. Set up alerts for critical events like failed authentication attempts, access to blocked paths, or unusual API call patterns.

9. Incident Response Plan

Despite best precautions, security incidents can happen. Have a plan ready:

Immediate containment:

# Stop OpenClaw immediately
openclaw stop

Or if using Docker
docker stop openclaw

Credential rotation: Change all API keys that OpenClaw had access to. Rotate passwords for any accounts that OpenClaw could interact with. Revoke and regenerate messaging platform tokens.

Audit and investigate: Review OpenClaw's logs to understand what happened. Check for unauthorized file modifications. Examine conversation history for signs of prompt injection or social engineering.

Recovery: Reinstall OpenClaw from a clean source. Restore configuration from a known-good backup. Re-enable services one at a time, monitoring carefully.

10. Stay Updated

The OpenClaw team regularly releases security patches and improvements. Keep your installation current:

# Check for updates
openclaw update --check

Apply updates
openclaw update

Subscribe to security advisories
openclaw security subscribe

Follow the official OpenClaw security blog and the GitHub repository's security advisories for the latest information about vulnerabilities and patches.

Summary: Security Checklist

Action	Priority	Status
Run openclaw security audit	Critical	Do immediately
Enable Docker sandboxing	High	Recommended for all users
Configure messaging allowlists	High	Essential for production use
Tighten file permissions (chmod 700)	High	Do immediately
Vet all installed skills	Medium	Before each installation
Use latest model versions	Medium	Check monthly
Lock down network exposure	Critical	Essential for server deployments
Enable comprehensive logging	Medium	Recommended for all users
Prepare incident response plan	Medium	Document before going live
Keep OpenClaw updated	High	Check weekly

Security is not a one-time setup — it is an ongoing practice. By following these guidelines and staying vigilant, you can enjoy the remarkable capabilities of OpenClaw while keeping your data and systems safe.