What is OpenClaw? Is OpenClaw safe to use?

What is OpenClaw, and what is its purpose?

OpenClaw is an open-source autonomous AI personal assistant created by Peter Steinberger. Unlike most AI tools that run in the cloud, OpenClaw was originally designed to run locally on your own device, giving it direct access to the system you install it on.

Its core purpose is to act as a bridge between AI models and the software you already use. OpenClaw connects large language models to local files, applications, and services through a gateway system. This setup allows the AI to move beyond text responses and perform concrete actions, such as reading documents, writing files, or triggering workflows.

OpenClaw can also integrate with messaging platforms, letting users interact with it through familiar chat interfaces instead of a separate dashboard. Once connected, the assistant can maintain persistent memory across conversations, allowing it to track ongoing tasks, remember prior instructions, and continue work over time without having to start from scratch.

What's the difference between OpenClaw, Moltbot, and Clawdbot?

OpenClaw has gone through several name changes, which have caused confusion around what the project actually is. All three names — OpenClaw, Moltbot, and Clawdbot — refer to the same core software at different points in its development.

The project first launched in November 2025 under the name Clawdbot. Shortly after gaining attention, the name was changed to Moltbot following a trademark request from Anthropic because “Clawdbot” was considered too close to the name of Anthropic’s Claude AI model. The project’s mascot — a space lobster named Molty — is a reference to the Moltbot era and is still used in the community.

In late January 2026, the project was renamed again, this time to OpenClaw, which is the name it uses today.

Despite multiple name transformations, the functionality of the AI agent remained the same. The changes were administrative rather than technical, aimed at avoiding brand confusion and not at redefining the tool’s purpose.

Interestingly, the rebranding did not impact the user interest — OpenClaw’s repository reportedly passed 100,000 GitHub stars within weeks of launch, placing it among the fastest-growing open-source projects.

How does OpenClaw work?

OpenClaw is considered a form of narrow AI. It is a highly capable agentic assistant that runs locally and automates specific tasks based on the tools and permissions you configure. It is not a general intelligence that can understand, learn, or perform any intellectual task a human can.

As for how it actually works, OpenClaw runs as a Node.js service on your local machine. This service acts as a “gateway” between AI models (such as Claude or GPT) and the apps, files, and services available on your system. The AI model generates instructions, and OpenClaw translates them into actions the operating system can carry out.

You interact with OpenClaw through connected chat applications, so there’s no separate interface to log into. For example, you can send it a message through a linked messaging app, and OpenClaw can respond by reading files, writing content, opening a browser, or triggering predefined workflows.

OpenClaw follows an autonomous execution principle. Once configured, it can carry out certain actions without requiring a new instruction for every step, as long as those actions fall within the rules and permissions you have set.

One way this works in practice is through OpenClaw’s “heartbeat” function. The heartbeat allows the system to run at set intervals, evaluate its current state, and resume configured tasks without waiting for a new message.

OpenClaw can read and write files, execute shell commands, control a browser session, manage calendars, and send emails, depending on how it is configured. The project is open source and free to use, but many integrations rely on third-party AI services. To use those services, you need to provide your own API keys, which may come with usage limits or additional costs set by the provider.

What can OpenClaw do?

OpenClaw can act as an intelligent agent that completes multi-step tasks across the apps and services you connect to it. OpenClaw does more than simply answer questions. It can also take actions that produce an outcome, such as creating a file, sending a message, or updating an event.

Depending on how you configure it, OpenClaw can:

• Automate workflows. Run a sequence like “collect inputs, generate output, save it to a folder, and notify me in chat.”
• Read and summarize content. Review a document or a web page you provide and return a structured summary, key points, or action items.
• Send messages and notifications. Post updates through connected messaging platforms when a task finishes or when a scheduled check finds a match.
• Manage information. Store notes, track ongoing tasks, and use its persistent memory to continue work across multiple conversations.
• Trigger actions on a schedule. Run routine tasks at set times, such as creating daily reminders, preparing a status update, or checking a defined data source.
• Extend capabilities with skills (plugins). Connect to external tools and services through add-ons, so it can perform actions beyond the base installation.

What devices and operating systems can run OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is designed to run on standard personal computing environments. Because it operates as a local service, the main requirement is a device capable of running Node.js and maintaining a persistent background process.

You can run OpenClaw on:

• macOS. OpenClaw supports a native macOS companion app, including a menu bar interface and voice features such as Voice Wake and push-to-talk behavior.
• Windows. OpenClaw generally runs on Windows through Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2), which OpenClaw’s own install guidance describes as the strongly recommended path.
• Linux. Linux is a natural fit for running the “gateway” as an always-on local service, especially on servers or persistent machines.
• Docker. OpenClaw can run in Docker across major operating systems using the project’s Docker setup, which is useful for repeatable deployment and separation from the host environment.

More important than the operating system is what the host machine contains. If OpenClaw runs on your primary computer and you grant it access to your everyday accounts and files, the assistant inherits the sensitivity of that environment. Many users avoid that by running OpenClaw on a dedicated device or a dedicated user profile with limited access.

Performance requirements are modest. OpenClaw itself does not run AI agents locally unless you configure it to do so. Most of the processing happens through connected AI services, while the local machine handles coordination, file access, and task execution.

What apps and services can OpenClaw connect to?

OpenClaw uses integrations to connect its gateway to the apps you already use, so the assistant can receive instructions in one place and take actions in another. Many users start by linking a chat app (as the control surface) and then add services like email, calendars, and file access as needed. These services can include:

• WhatsApp
• Telegram
• Discord
• Slack
• Microsoft Teams
• iMessage
• Signal

If you connect OpenClaw to home automation services, it can support smart home security routines, such as device status checks or predefined actions. If those routines extend into broader IoT infrastructure, you should limit integrations to the devices and commands you want the assistant to control.

Is OpenClaw safe? Security risks explained

OpenClaw is not unsafe by default, but it should not be treated like a typical chatbot either. Because it can access local files, connect to accounts, and execute actions, just how "safe" OpenClaw is depends heavily on how it is configured and where it runs. From an AI security and network security perspective, OpenClaw is closer to general-purpose software with account access than to a read-only assistant, which means you need to think about permissions, integrations, and data access upfront.

Prompt injection vulnerabilities

Prompt injection is a class of attacks where hidden instructions are embedded in the content an AI system processes. OpenClaw can read external content and act on it, so prompt injection can become an issue if the system processes untrusted inputs. A successful prompt injection attempt can influence the model’s output or steer it toward unintended actions or responses.

The risk increases if OpenClaw is given access to sensitive data or is allowed to trigger actions through connected services. For example, a message in a linked chat app could try to override the user’s intent by asking the assistant to reveal information or perform a task outside the original request.

It’s important to note that prompt injection is not unique to OpenClaw. It affects many AI-powered tools that connect language models to files, accounts, and system-level actions.

Exposed credentials and API keys

OpenClaw works with third-party services, which can require users to enter an API key or other credentials when setting it up. API keys allow OpenClaw to authenticate with external services and perform actions on the user’s behalf.

If credentials are stored in plaintext or otherwise exposed on the host machine, a bad actor with device access can harvest them. That means an attacker may not need to compromise OpenClaw at all. They could reuse the same credentials to sign in to the authenticated services.

Elevated system privileges

To carry out tasks, OpenClaw may need broad permissions on the machine it runs on. Depending on the setup, those permissions can include access to local files, the ability to execute shell commands, and control over a browser session. These are powerful capabilities in any automation tool.

Overly broad permissions create the biggest exposure. If an attacker influences the assistant’s actions through a compromised integration, a malicious plugin, or untrusted input, that access can be abused to perform actions the user did not request.

This is where privilege escalation can become a concern. If OpenClaw starts with limited access but can trigger tools or processes that grant higher access, an attacker may be able to push it into a more privileged state. The safest setups are the ones that keep permissions narrow, restrict command execution, and separate OpenClaw from sensitive accounts and system areas whenever possible.

Supply chain risks with skills/plugins

OpenClaw can be extended through community-built skills and plugins, which expand what the assistant can do. This model is common in open-source software, but it also introduces supply chain considerations that are familiar in cybersecurity.

Plugins run with the permissions OpenClaw has been granted. So if a skill contains insecure code in its source code or the skill is intentionally malicious, it can misuse that access to read data, execute commands, or send information outside the system. In practice, this means a plugin can behave like malware even if OpenClaw itself is functioning as designed.

The safest default is to assume a plugin can do anything the host process can do. Only install plugins from sources you trust, keep the plugin set small, and avoid giving plugins access to credentials or system commands unless a workflow clearly requires it.

Data exfiltration potential

Data exfiltration becomes possible when a system can access private information and communicate externally. In security research, this combination is sometimes described as a “lethal trifecta” of vulnerabilities because the tool can access private data, execute actions, and send information outside the environment.

OpenClaw can meet those conditions if it is configured to read files, maintain persistent memory, and interact with external services. In that setup, an exposed API key, an untrusted plugin, or a compromised connected account can give an attacker a path to extract stored context, including prior conversations, notes, or task history.

How to use OpenClaw more safely

You’ll use OpenClaw more safely if you treat it like automation software with access to your device and accounts and not a read-only chatbot. That means you should first reduce privileges, isolate the runtime environment, and constrain outbound connections before using it for day-to-day workflows.

This set of steps will help you do exactly that:

1. 1.Start with minimum permissions. Give OpenClaw access only to the files, apps, and services required for a specific workflow. During initial setup, avoid granting system-wide permissions.
2. 2.Run it in a sandboxed environment. Use a sandboxing technique such as a separate user account, a virtual machine, or containerization. This will limit what OpenClaw can access if it’s compromised or an integration is abused.
3. 3.Treat plugins and skills as untrusted by default. Each plugin runs with the same privileges as the main process. Install only what you actively need and remove plugins you no longer use.
4. 4.Lock down secrets. Store API keys and tokens securely and avoid placing them in plaintext configuration files. Rotate keys regularly, especially if you experiment with new integrations.
5. 5.Restrict automatic actions. Avoid setups where OpenClaw can execute powerful actions without review. Keep potentially "destructive" or sensitive operations behind explicit confirmation steps.
6. 6.Assume external content can be hostile. Emails, messages, documents, and web pages can all carry hidden malicious instructions. Limit which inputs OpenClaw is allowed to process automatically.
7. 7.Limit access to personally identifiable information. Do not connect OpenClaw to accounts or folders that contain personally identifiable information (PII) unless a workflow clearly requires it.
8. 8.Monitor logs and activity. Review logs regularly to confirm which actions OpenClaw ran, which services it contacted, and when. Check for any unexpected commands, new integrations, or unusual outbound requests.
9. 9.Keep the system updated. Apply updates to OpenClaw, its plugins, and the host system regularly. The importance of regular updates increases as the project evolves and new features are added.
10. 10.Use separate accounts for testing. If you are experimenting with new skills or workflows, use test accounts instead of production credentials.

Hosting OpenClaw privately with Meshnet

Running OpenClaw locally already limits exposure to third-party servers. You can further control access by hosting the assistant on your own device and reaching it privately through Meshnet. If you want to take this approach, our guide on how to set up the OpenClaw AI assistant with Meshnet will walk you through that configuration step by step.

With Meshnet, you can set up OpenClaw on Windows, macOS, or Linux and access its interface remotely over an encrypted connection. This allows direct, private access without routing commands through external chat platforms. The main security benefit comes from keeping the assistant self hosted and limiting where it can be reached, while Meshnet protects traffic in transit.

Is OpenClaw free?

Yes, OpenClaw is free to use. The project is released under the MIT License, so you can install it, run it locally, and modify it without paying a fee. 

However, many setups still cost money. OpenClaw works with third-party AI services, which means you may need to supply your own API keys for the model providers you choose. Those providers typically bill based on usage, and costs can add up if you run frequent automations or keep OpenClaw active throughout the day. You also need hardware to run OpenClaw on, whether that is your own computer, a dedicated machine, or a hosted server.

Should you use OpenClaw?

Yes, you can use OpenClaw, but treat it like powerful automation software, not a casual chatbot. OpenClaw makes the most sense for people who can configure it carefully, control its access, and maintain it over time.

OpenClaw may be suitable for you if:

• You are technically proficient and understand security implications.
• You can run OpenClaw on a separate machine or in an isolated environment instead of your primary device.
• You want hands-on experience with agentic assistants that can carry out multi-step tasks.
• You know how to limit permissions, protect API keys, and keep the setup under control as it grows.

OpenClaw is probably not a good fit for you if:

• You have not worked with API keys, reverse proxies, or sandboxing, and you want a setup that “just works.”
• You plan to install it on a device that holds sensitive work files, financial records, or personal documents.
• You prefer a "set and forget" personal AI assistant that runs unattended, with no regular updates, monitoring, or configuration changes.
• You want the lowest possible data exposure and do not want an assistant connected to accounts or services.