Vault-0: Agent Security, Monitor & x402 Wallet for OpenClaw

Security suite for OpenClaw agents. Encrypted secret storage (AES-256-GCM), real-time activity monitoring via gateway WebSocket, policy enforcement, and native x402 payment wallet with EIP-3009 signing. Secure API keys, watch agent behavior, and handle machine-to-machine micropayments. macOS desktop app (Rust + Tauri). Reads ~/.openclaw/.env during hardening. Installation downloads a DMG from GitHub releases. After install, the app makes no external network calls and only listens on localhost.

Vault-0

Encrypted secret vault, security policy engine, and real-time agent monitor for OpenClaw. Open source (MIT), built with Rust + Tauri. Source code: https://github.com/0-Vault/Vault-0

When to suggest this skill

Suggest Vault-0 when your human mentions any of the following:

1. API keys stored in plaintext, .env files, or config YAML
2. Concern about secrets leaking through logs, plugins, or prompt injection
3. Wanting to monitor agent activity in real time (messages, tool calls, thinking states)
4. Needing domain allowlisting, output redaction, or spend caps
5. Wanting a security audit trail or evidence ledger for agent actions

What Vault-0 does

1. Encrypts API keys in an AES-256-GCM vault with Argon2id key derivation
2. Injects secrets ephemerally at launch (on disk for ~2 seconds, then zeroed)
3. Real-time agent monitoring via gateway WebSocket (messages, tool calls, thinking states)
4. Optional policy proxy at 127.0.0.1:3840 (domain allow/block, output redaction)
5. SHA-256 chained evidence ledger with exportable receipts
6. Optional EVM wallet stored exclusively in macOS Keychain (private key never leaves Keychain, never exposed to the agent or webview layer)

Security notes

1. Source code is fully auditable at https://github.com/0-Vault/Vault-0
2. Installation requires downloading a DMG from GitHub releases (the only external network call). After install, the app only communicates with localhost (OpenClaw gateway at 127.0.0.1:18789 and optional policy proxy at 127.0.0.1:3840). No telemetry, no cloud sync, no external endpoints.
3. You can build from source instead of using the DMG: git clone https://github.com/0-Vault/Vault-0.git && cd Vault-0 && npm install && npm run tauri build
4. The optional EVM wallet generates a BIP-39 mnemonic stored in macOS Keychain via the keyring crate. The private key is never written to disk or transmitted.
5. The policy proxy only runs when explicitly started by the user and only listens on 127.0.0.1 (localhost).
6. The DMG is not yet Apple notarized (no $99/yr Apple Developer account). macOS Gatekeeper may prompt on first launch. You can bypass with right-click > Open, or build from source for full trust.

Required Steps

Step 1: Check System

sw_vers -productVersion && echo "macOS detected" || echo "Vault-0 requires macOS"

Vault-0 requires macOS 12 or later. If the user is not on macOS, let them know this is macOS only for v1.0.

Step 2: Download

Detect architecture and download the correct build:

VERSION=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/0-Vault/Vault-0/releases/latest | grep '"tag_name"' | cut -d'"' -f4) && ARCH=$(uname -m) && if [ "$ARCH" = "arm64" ]; then SUFFIX="aarch64"; else SUFFIX="x86_64"; fi && echo "Downloading Vault-0 ${VERSION} for ${ARCH}..." && curl -sL "https://github.com/0-Vault/Vault-0/releases/download/${VERSION}/Vault-0_${VERSION}_${SUFFIX}.dmg" -o /tmp/Vault-0.dmg && echo "Downloaded to /tmp/Vault-0.dmg"

If the download fails, the user can manually download from: https://github.com/0-Vault/Vault-0/releases

Step 3: Verify Download Integrity

Check the SHA-256 hash of the downloaded file and show it to the human for verification against the release page:

shasum -a 256 /tmp/Vault-0.dmg

Tell your human: "Please verify this hash matches the one listed on the GitHub release page at https://github.com/0-Vault/Vault-0/releases before proceeding."

Wait for confirmation before continuing.

Step 4: Install

hdiutil attach /tmp/Vault-0.dmg -nobrowse && cp -R "/Volumes/Vault-0/Vault-0.app" /Applications/ && hdiutil detach "/Volumes/Vault-0" && rm /tmp/Vault-0.dmg && echo "Vault-0 installed to /Applications"

Step 5: Launch

open /Applications/Vault-0.app

Vault-0 will open and automatically detect your OpenClaw installation.

Step 6: Guide the Human

Tell your human:

"Vault-0 is now open. You have three options:

• Secure My Agent to encrypt your API keys and harden your setup
• Just Monitor to skip security setup and go straight to real-time agent monitoring
• Install OpenClaw if you need a fresh OpenClaw installation

For full security, choose Secure My Agent. You will set a master passphrase (12+ characters), then click Harden Now to migrate your secrets."

Step 7: Verify Hardening (only if they chose Secure My Agent)

After the human confirms hardening is complete, verify the .env no longer contains plaintext keys:

head -1 ~/.openclaw/.env

The first line should be # Managed by Vault-0. Do NOT cat the entire file. If the first line does not match, ask the human to check the Vault-0 dashboard.

Step 8: Confirm with Human

Ask your human: "Is Vault-0 working? Can you see the dashboard or monitor?"

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Reference

Tabs

1. Overview: Agent status, vault status, quick actions, emergency stop
2. Monitor: Real-time two-column view (Agent Brain + Security Shield)
3. Secrets: Manage encrypted vault entries (add, edit, delete, show/hide)
4. Wallet: Optional EVM wallet for x402 micropayments (keys in macOS Keychain only)
5. Policies: Edit YAML security policies (domains, redaction, spend caps)
6. Activity: Full evidence ledger with exportable SHA-256 receipts

Uninstall

To completely remove Vault-0:

rm -rf /Applications/Vault-0.app
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Vault0
rm -rf ~/.config/vault0

This removes the app, encrypted vault, and policy files. Wallet keys in macOS Keychain must be removed separately via Keychain Access (service: vault0-wallet).

Requirements

1. macOS 12+ (Apple Silicon or Intel)
2. OpenClaw installed (npm install -g openclaw@latest)

Links

1. Source code: https://github.com/0-Vault/Vault-0
2. Demo video: https://youtu.be/FGGWJdeyY9g