3-Minute OpenClaw Security Audit (Run Before Monday)
Eight questions. Three minutes. You'll know if your OpenClaw is a liability before you finish your coffee.
No theory. No framework. Just yes-or-no questions you can answer right now.
Grab a pen. Keep score.
<a href="/checkout?plan=starter&utm_source=google&utm_medium=seo&utm_campaign=blog-3-minute-openclaw-security-audit&utm_content=cta-top" data-umami-event="blog-cta-3-minute-openclaw-security-audit-top">Or fix all 8 in 60 seconds →</a>
Check 1: Is Your Gateway Bound to 127.0.0.1?
Open your docker-compose.yml. Look at the ports section.
# SAFE
ports:
- "127.0.0.1:3000:3000"
# EXPOSED
ports:
- "3000:3000"
If it says 0.0.0.0:3000 or just 3000:3000, your dashboard is accessible to anyone on the internet.
✅ Pass: Bound to 127.0.0.1 behind a reverse proxy.
❌ Fail: Accessible on a public IP.
Check 2: Is Your Instance on Shodan?
Go to shodan.io. Search your server's IP address.
If Shodan shows your OpenClaw port, scanners have already found you. Bots are probing it right now. We found 42,000+ exposed instances in a single scan.
✅ Pass: No OpenClaw ports visible.
❌ Fail: Port 3000 (or your custom port) shows up.
Check 3: Are API Keys in Plaintext .env Files?
SSH into your server. Look at your .env file.
# If you can read your Anthropic key in plaintext, you fail
cat .env | grep -i "key"
If you see ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-... in cleartext, anyone with server access has your keys. That includes anyone who compromises any service running on that machine.
✅ Pass: Keys are encrypted at rest or stored in a secrets manager.
❌ Fail: Plaintext keys in .env, environment variables, or config files.
Check 4: Do You Have Auth on Every Endpoint?
Open an incognito browser. Navigate to your OpenClaw URL.
Can you see the dashboard? Can you access the API? Without logging in?
✅ Pass: Login required. MFA enabled.
❌ Fail: Dashboard loads without authentication.
Check 5: Can Your Agent Execute Shell Commands?
Check your agent's tool configuration. Can it run arbitrary shell commands?
If your agent has shell, bash, or code_execution enabled without restrictions, a prompt injection can run curl to exfiltrate your keys. Or rm -rf your data. Learn more about agent permissions and sandboxing.
✅ Pass: Shell execution disabled or sandboxed with no network access.
❌ Fail: Unrestricted shell access enabled.
Check 6: Do You Have Egress Controls?
Can your agent make outbound HTTP requests to any domain?
Test it. Ask your agent to fetch a URL you don't use. If it succeeds, there are no egress controls.
A prompt injection exploit doesn't need shell access if your agent can POST your secrets to an external server via an API call. Read more on network egress for AI agents.
✅ Pass: Outbound requests limited to an allowlist.
❌ Fail: Agent can reach any URL.
Check 7: Do You Have an Audit Trail?
What did your agent do yesterday at 2pm?
If you can't answer that question in under 60 seconds, you don't have an audit trail. See our audit logging guide for what to log.
Check for:
- Structured logs with timestamps, actions, and targets
- A searchable interface (not just
docker logs) - Retention policy (logs exist from last month, last quarter)
✅ Pass: Searchable audit trail with 90+ day retention.
❌ Fail: Only Docker container logs or nothing.
Check 8: Can You Kill the Agent in One Click?
Time yourself. From right now, how fast can you stop your agent from executing?
If the answer involves:
- SSH into a server
- Finding the right container
- Running
docker stop
That's too slow. When your agent is burning $5/minute on a runaway loop or sending emails to your entire customer list, seconds matter. Here's why kill switches are non-negotiable.
✅ Pass: One-click kill switch accessible from a dashboard.
❌ Fail: Requires terminal access to stop.
Your Score
Count your passes.
| Score | Verdict |
|---|---|
| 8/8 | Solid. You've done the work. Review quarterly. |
| 6-7 | Close. Fix the gaps before they find you. |
| 4-5 | Exposed. You're one bad day away from a real problem. |
| 2-3 | Critical. Stop building features. Start securing. |
| 0-1 | Your OpenClaw is an open door. Fix this today. |
<a href="/checkout?plan=starter&utm_source=google&utm_medium=seo&utm_campaign=blog-3-minute-openclaw-security-audit&utm_content=cta-mid" data-umami-event="blog-cta-3-minute-openclaw-security-audit-mid">Scored below 6? Fix all 8 in 60 seconds →</a>
What Each Check Looks Like on Clawctl
| Check | DIY | Clawctl |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway binding | You configure NGINX | Automatic (not exposed) |
| Shodan visibility | You harden ports | Ports not public |
| Key encryption | You set up Vault | AES-256 built-in |
| Authentication | You add auth proxy | Gateway tokens + 2FA |
| Shell sandboxing | You configure seccomp | Sandboxed by default |
| Egress controls | You write iptables rules | Domain allowlist |
| Audit trail | You build logging | Searchable, exportable |
| Kill switch | You build an endpoint | One button |
Every check. Already passing. From minute one.
Fix All 8 in 60 Seconds
You just spent 3 minutes finding the problems. Want to fix them all? Our full hardening guide has all 23 steps. Or skip them entirely.
Clawctl fixes all of them before you finish signing up:
- 127.0.0.1 binding: Not applicable. No exposed ports.
- Shodan invisible: Traffic through encrypted gateway.
- Key encryption: AES-256 at rest. Automatic.
- Auth: 256-bit gateway tokens. 2FA included.
- Sandboxing: Every agent containerized and isolated.
- Egress: Domain allowlist. Everything else blocked.
- Audit trail: Every action logged. 90+ day retention. Searchable.
- Kill switch: One click. Instant.
Run the audit again after setup. Score: 8/8. See the full provider comparison for how all hosting options stack up.
<a href="/checkout?plan=starter&utm_source=google&utm_medium=seo&utm_campaign=blog-3-minute-openclaw-security-audit&utm_content=cta-bottom" data-umami-event="blog-cta-3-minute-openclaw-security-audit-bottom">Fix all 8 in 60 seconds →</a>