OpenClaw Key Management

Secure credential storage system for OpenClaw that encrypts and protects API keys, tokens, and sensitive credentials from memory file compromise.

OpenClaw Key Management Skill 🔐

A comprehensive security key management system that protects your AI assistant's credentials even if memory files are compromised.

When to Use

• Before storing any API keys, passwords, or tokens in your OpenClaw memory files
• When you need to secure existing credentials already stored in MEMORY.md or daily logs
• For any OpenClaw deployment that handles sensitive authentication data
• When sharing your workspace with others or backing up to cloud storage

Core Features

🔒 Strong Encryption

• AES-256-GCM authenticated encryption
• PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 key derivation (100,000 iterations)
• Per-credential random salts and initialization vectors
• Tamper detection with authentication tags

🧠 Memory Safety

• Credentials exist in memory for only 30 seconds during active use
• Automatic secure zeroing of plaintext credentials
• Memory locking to prevent swapping to disk
• Runtime credential cache with automatic cleanup

📁 Separation of Concerns

• Credentials never stored in MEMORY.md or daily log files
• Dedicated encrypted vault in .secrets/vault.json.enc
• Automatic detection and blocking of credential logging attempts
• Secure references like {SECRET:api_key_name} in memory files

⚙️ Dual Security Modes

• Convenience Mode: System key derived from machine ID + hostname (automatic decryption)
• High-Security Mode: User passphrase required at each session start
• Configurable via config/key_management.json

🛠️ Easy Management

• CLI tool for adding, retrieving, and managing credentials
• Automatic backup system with versioned encrypted backups
• Migration tool to extract existing credentials from memory files
• Integration with OpenClaw's existing memory architecture

Installation

Prerequisites

• OpenClaw 2026.3.13 or later
• Node.js 18+ (for encryption module)
• Standard Unix-like system (Linux/macOS)

Setup Steps

# 1. Clone or copy this skill to your skills directory
cp -r openclaw-key-management-skill ~/.openclaw/your-workspace/skills/

# 2. Initialize the key vault
cd ~/.openclaw/your-workspace
./skills/openclaw-key-management/scripts/key_manager.sh init

# 3. Configure security mode (optional)
# Edit skills/openclaw-key-management/config/key_management.json
# Set "master_key_mode" to "system_key" (default) or "passphrase"

# 4. Migrate existing credentials (if any)
./skills/openclaw-key-management/scripts/key_manager.sh migrate

Usage

Adding Credentials

# Add a new credential
./skills/openclaw-key-management/scripts/key_manager.sh add my_api_key

# Add with metadata
./skills/openclaw-key-management/scripts/key_manager.sh add instreet_api_key

Retrieving Credentials

# Get credential value (automatically decrypted)
./skills/openclaw-key-management/scripts/key_manager.sh get my_api_key

# List all stored credentials
./skills/openclaw-key-management/scripts/key_manager.sh list

Integration with OpenClaw

In your OpenClaw workflows, reference credentials using the secure placeholder format:

### External Service
- **API Key**: {SECRET:my_api_key}

The system automatically intercepts these references and provides the decrypted value at runtime.

Security Architecture

File Structure

workspace/
├── .secrets/                    # Encrypted secrets directory
│   ├── master.key               # Encrypted master key
│   ├── vault.json.enc           # Main encrypted credential vault
│   ├── backup/                  # Versioned encrypted backups
│   └── temp/                    # Ephemeral runtime files
├── skills/openclaw-key-management/
│   ├── scripts/key_vault.js     # Node.js encryption module
│   ├── scripts/key_manager.sh   # CLI management tool
│   └── config/key_management.json # Configuration template
└── MEMORY.md                    # Safe references only: {SECRET:name}

Threat Model & Mitigations

Threat	Impact	Mitigation
Memory file compromise	High	Credentials never stored in plaintext
Runtime memory dump	Medium	Short credential lifespan + secure zeroing
Master key theft	Critical	Optional passphrase protection
Backup exposure	Medium	Backups encrypted with same strong crypto
Malicious skill/plugin	High	Credential access requires explicit permission

Configuration Options

config/key_management.json

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "master_key_mode": "system_key", // "system_key" or "passphrase"
  "encryption": {
    "algorithm": "aes-256-gcm",
    "pbkdf2_iterations": 100000,
    "salt_length": 16,
    "iv_length": 12
  },
  "runtime": {
    "credential_timeout_seconds": 30,
    "enable_memory_locking": true,
    "auto_cleanup_on_exit": true
  },
  "backup": {
    "enabled": true,
    "max_backups": 10,
    "backup_interval_hours": 24
  }
}

Migration Guide

From Existing OpenClaw Deployments

1. Backup your current workspace
2. Install this skill following the installation steps
3. Run migration tool: ./scripts/key_manager.sh migrate
4. Verify: Check that MEMORY.md now contains {SECRET:name} references
5. Test: Ensure your workflows still function correctly

Manual Migration

If automatic migration fails, manually:

1. Extract credentials from your memory files
2. Add them using: ./scripts/key_manager.sh add credential_name
3. Replace plaintext values in memory files with {SECRET:credential_name}

Best Practices

✅ Do

• Always use this skill for any sensitive credentials
• Regularly backup your encrypted vault
• Use high-security mode for production deployments
• Review and update your configuration periodically

❌ Don't

• Store plaintext credentials in memory files
• Share your .secrets/ directory without encryption
• Disable memory safety features without understanding risks
• Use weak system configurations (outdated Node.js, etc.)

API Reference

Node.js Module

const SecureKeyVault = require('./skills/openclaw-key-management/scripts/key_vault.js');
const vault = new SecureKeyVault('/path/to/workspace');

await vault.initialize();
await vault.setSecret('api_key', 'your-secret-value');
const secret = await vault.getSecret('api_key');

CLI Commands

• init - Initialize key vault
• add NAME - Add new secret
• get NAME - Get secret value
• list - List all secrets
• backup - Create backup
• migrate - Migrate existing credentials

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

• "No vault file found": Run init command first
• Decryption failures: Verify system hasn't changed (machine ID, hostname)
• Permission errors: Ensure proper file permissions on .secrets/ directory
• Memory issues: Increase Node.js memory limit if handling many credentials

Recovery Procedures

• Lost master key (convenience mode): Restore from backup or re-migrate credentials
• Forgotten passphrase (high-security mode): No recovery possible (by design)
• Corrupted vault: Restore from latest backup in .secrets/backup/

Contributing

This skill follows OpenClaw AgentSkills specification. Contributions welcome:

• Security improvements
• Additional encryption algorithms
• Better integration with OpenClaw core
• Documentation enhancements

License

MIT License - Free to use, modify, and distribute.

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Remember: Security is a process, not a product. This skill provides strong protection, but always follow security best practices in your overall OpenClaw deployment.