OpenClaw Security Checklist

Running an AI assistant locally or on your own server can be a genuine force multiplier. It can monitor information, draft content, automate routine workflows, and reduce mental load. But it also changes your security posture in a very specific way.

You are introducing a high trust automation layer that can read data, execute tasks, and interact with third party services.

This post is a practical checklist for securing an OpenClaw deployment. It is written for business owners and technical teams who want the capability, but also want to keep risk under control.

1) Start with a threat model

Before you tweak configs, get clear on what you are defending against. For most OpenClaw deployments, the realistic risks fall into five buckets.

• Credential leakage. API keys, app passwords, OAuth refresh tokens exposed on disk, in logs, or via misconfigured permissions.
• Over permissioned integrations. It works because you gave the assistant too much access rather than least privilege.
• Automation mistakes. Cron jobs double run, race conditions, non idempotent actions such as posting twice.
• Host compromise. The server running OpenClaw is compromised and the attacker inherits everything the assistant can do.
• Data exposure. Sensitive content is sent to an LLM provider or stored in a way that is harder to control later.

Once you name your threats, every configuration decision becomes easier.

2) Separate identities

The cleanest security pattern for assistants is separation of duties.

Instead of giving the assistant access to your personal inbox, create a dedicated assistant inbox and forward only what you want it to process. Same with calendars. Share a single calendar that you want managed, rather than your entire calendar set.

This gives you three benefits.

• Minimised blast radius if something goes wrong.
• Easy revocation. Remove sharing or reset the password.
• Cleaner workflows. Everything in the assistant inbox is there intentionally.

3) Prefer OAuth over passwords

OAuth is generally safer than storing a password, because tokens can be revoked and scoped. But scope is the point. OAuth can still be full access if you request broad permissions.

A practical approach.

• Start read only. Monitor first.
• Add write permissions only after confidence. Sending emails, editing calendar events, creating posts.
• Keep write actions human confirmed. Do not allow silent auto send or auto delete by default.

4) Handle secrets like a production system

The most common way assistants go wrong is mundane. Credentials get stored in a place they should not.

• Do not store secrets in source control including private repos.
• Use strict permissions on local secret files.
• Separate credentials per integration. Do not reuse the same key everywhere.
• Rotate regularly and rotate immediately after any suspected exposure.

Be careful with helpful debugging. Logs are often where secrets leak.

5) Treat cron jobs as a risk surface

Automations are where assistants become valuable and where they become risky.

• Make jobs idempotent. Re running should not post twice or delete twice. Use a state file or already processed markers.
• Use locking. Prevent overlapping runs.
• Log to disk and alert on failure. Avoid spamming messaging channels with raw stack traces.
• Separate research from commit. Gather info in one step, publish or send in another step after approval.

A good rule is that automation can draft, summarise, and suggest. It should not take irreversible actions without confirmation.

6) Messaging security

• Assume anything you send is sensitive. Keep secrets out of chat unless required.
• Use separate bots for separate agents if you want isolation of identity and routing.
• Restrict group behaviour. Prefer mention only responses in groups.

7) Harden the host

• Keep the OS patched.
• Use a firewall. Default deny inbound.
• SSH locked down. Keys only, no password auth.
• Non root execution where possible.
• Backups of config and state files. Encrypted.

8) Monitor weekly

• New integrations added. Any new tokens or keys.
• Unexpected spend spikes. LLM usage and API usage.
• Cron job logs for errors.
• Any new ability granted that was not requested.
• Host security events such as failed logins or unusual outbound connections.

9) Safe default setup

• Assistant has a dedicated inbox and dedicated calendar.
• Read only access first. Write actions require explicit approval.
• Automations separated. Research then approval then commit.
• Tokens and app passwords stored with strict permissions.
• Logs stored locally and rotated.

This gives you meaningful leverage without turning your assistant into a high risk autonomous agent.

Ready to explore what a well secured automation driven assistant could do for your business operations? Get in touch with us to start a conversation about your setup. We will help you assess your current risk posture, identify low risk high impact automations, and implement a solution that prioritises reliability and measurable outcomes.