How to Deploy OpenClaw Securely (2026 Guide)

How to Deploy OpenClaw Securely

This guide shows you how to deploy OpenClaw in production with proper security controls. You have two options: manual hardening or using a managed runtime.

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Quick Answer

Fastest secure deployment (60 seconds):

Sign up at clawctl.com/checkout, pick a plan, and your agent is provisioned with production security out of the box. The dashboard setup wizard handles the rest.

Manual hardening: Follow the detailed steps below. Takes 2-4 hours.

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Why Security Matters

OpenClaw's default configuration is insecure for production:

• Binds to 0.0.0.0 (exposed to internet)
• No authentication on gateway
• Plaintext API key storage
• No audit logging
• No action restrictions

In January 2026, 42,665 exposed OpenClaw instances were found via Shodan. Don't be one of them.

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Option 1: Manual Hardening

If you want full control, follow these steps.

Step 1: Secure the Network

Bind to loopback only:

Edit your OpenClaw config to bind to 127.0.0.1 instead of 0.0.0.0:

{
  "gateway": {
    "host": "127.0.0.1",
    "port": 3000
  }
}

Configure firewall:

# Block direct access to OpenClaw ports
ufw deny 3000
ufw deny 3001

# Allow only via reverse proxy
ufw allow 443

Set up reverse proxy with auth:

Using nginx:

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name agent.yoursite.com;
    
    # TLS configuration
    ssl_certificate /path/to/cert.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /path/to/key.pem;
    
    location / {
        # Don't pass X-Forwarded-For (prevents localhost bypass)
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP "";
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
        
        # Basic auth (minimum requirement)
        auth_basic "Restricted";
        auth_basic_user_file /etc/nginx/.htpasswd;
    }
}

Step 2: Secure Credentials

Never store API keys in plaintext.

Bad:

~/.openclaw/credentials/anthropic.json
{"api_key": "sk-ant-xxxxx"}

Better — use environment variables:

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-xxxxx"

Best — use a secrets manager:

# AWS Secrets Manager
aws secretsmanager get-secret-value --secret-id openclaw/anthropic

# HashiCorp Vault
vault kv get secret/openclaw/anthropic

Step 3: Enable Audit Logging

Configure logging for all agent actions:

{
  "logging": {
    "level": "info",
    "format": "json",
    "destination": "/var/log/openclaw/agent.log"
  }
}

Set up log rotation:

# /etc/logrotate.d/openclaw
/var/log/openclaw/*.log {
    daily
    rotate 90
    compress
    delaycompress
    missingok
    notifempty
}

Ship logs to a SIEM for analysis and alerting.

Step 4: Restrict Network Egress

Use a proxy to control outbound connections:

# Allow only approved domains
export HTTP_PROXY=http://localhost:3128
export HTTPS_PROXY=http://localhost:3128

Configure Squid:

acl allowed_domains dstdomain .anthropic.com .openai.com .github.com
http_access allow allowed_domains
http_access deny all

Step 5: Add Action Restrictions

Create a policy file for high-risk actions:

# policies/restrictions.yaml
blocked_tools:
  - shell_exec
  - file_delete
  - send_email
  - http_post

require_approval:
  - file_write
  - database_query
  - api_call

Note: OpenClaw doesn't have built-in policy enforcement. You'll need to implement this in your agent code or use a wrapper.

Step 6: Set Up Monitoring

Configure alerts for:

• Unusual API usage patterns
• Failed authentication attempts
• High-risk tool invocations
• Network egress to unexpected domains

Example Prometheus alert:

- alert: OpenClawHighRiskAction
  expr: openclaw_tool_calls{tool="shell_exec"} > 0
  for: 0m
  labels:
    severity: critical
  annotations:
    summary: "Shell execution detected"

Estimated Time

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Option 2: Managed Runtime (Clawctl)

Clawctl provides all of the above security controls out of the box.

Deploy in 60 Seconds

1. Sign up at clawctl.com/checkout
2. Pick a plan and pay via Stripe
3. Your secure environment is provisioned automatically
4. Configure your LLM API key in the dashboard setup wizard

That's it. Production-grade security in under 60 seconds.

What You Get

Pricing

• Starter: $49/mo (1 agent)
• Team: $299/mo (5 agents)
• Business: $999/mo (25 agents)

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Security Comparison

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Checklist: Before You Go Live

Use this checklist before exposing OpenClaw to production traffic:

Network

• Binds to 127.0.0.1, not 0.0.0.0
• Firewall blocks direct agent access
• Reverse proxy configured correctly
• TLS enabled (no plaintext HTTP)
• Egress restricted to approved domains

Authentication

• Gateway authentication required
• Tokens rotated on schedule
• Session timeouts configured

Credentials

• No plaintext API keys on disk
• Credentials in secrets manager
• Key rotation process documented

Logging

• All agent actions logged
• Logs retained for compliance
• Alerts for anomalous behavior

Action Control

• High-risk actions blocked or require approval
• Kill switch available
• Incident response plan documented

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to deploy OpenClaw securely?

Manual hardening: 3-6 hours for initial setup, plus ongoing maintenance.

Clawctl: 60 seconds.

Can I deploy OpenClaw on AWS/GCP/Azure securely?

Yes, but you must configure security controls yourself. Cloud providers don't handle OpenClaw-specific security. Use the manual hardening steps above or deploy with Clawctl.

What's the minimum security for production?

At minimum:

• Loopback binding (no 0.0.0.0)
• Authentication (token or API key)
• Encrypted credential storage
• Basic audit logging

Should I use Docker for OpenClaw?

Yes. Docker provides isolation, but you still need to configure authentication, credential management, and network controls.

Is Kubernetes overkill for OpenClaw?

For a single agent, yes. For multiple agents with scaling needs, Kubernetes can help with orchestration. Clawctl handles orchestration for you.

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Summary

To deploy OpenClaw securely:

1. Manual path: Configure loopback binding, authentication, encrypted secrets, audit logging, egress control, and action restrictions. Takes 3-6 hours.

2. Managed path: Use Clawctl. Takes 60 seconds.

Both approaches achieve the same security outcome. The difference is time and maintenance burden.

Deploy securely with Clawctl

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Questions? support@mg.clawctl.com