2026 Security Hardening Guide
This guide covers essential security practices for OpenClaw deployments in 2026. Whether you're running a personal setup or an enterprise fleet, follow these steps to harden your AI agent infrastructure.
1. API Key Rotation
Rotate all API keys every 90 days. Store them in environment variables, never in config files committed to source control.
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...2. Network Allowlisting
Restrict which domains OpenClaw can reach using the allowlists feature. This prevents prompt injection attacks from reaching external exfiltration endpoints.
- Define allowed domains in
~/.openclaw/allowlist.json - Block all outbound requests by default, then whitelist as needed
- See Allowlists and Sender Policies for full config
3. Prompt Injection Defense
Enable the built-in Prompt Guardian skill to detect and neutralize injection attempts in incoming messages.
4. Sandboxing
Run OpenClaw inside a Docker container or VM to limit blast radius. Use read-only mounts where possible.
5. Access Control
Use allowlists to restrict which phone numbers or user IDs can interact with your OpenClaw instance.