Moltbot Security Guide
Your Moltbot gateway was designed for local use. When exposed to the internet without proper security, attackers can access your API keys, private messages, and full system access.
Based on: Real vulnerability research that found 1,673+ exposed OpenClaw/Moltbot gateways on Shodan.
TL;DR - The 5 Essentials
- Bind to loopback — Never expose gateway to public internet
- Set auth token — Require authentication for all requests
- Fix file permissions — Only you should read config files
- Update Node.js — Use v22.12.0+ to avoid known vulnerabilities
- Use Tailscale — Secure remote access without public exposure
What Gets Exposed (The Real Risk)
When your gateway is publicly accessible:
- Complete conversation histories (Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, iMessage)
- API keys for Claude, OpenAI, and other providers
- OAuth tokens and bot credentials
- Full shell access to host machine
Prompt injection attack example: An attacker sends you an email with hidden instructions. Your AI reads it, extracts your recent emails, and forwards summaries to the attacker. No hacking required.
Quick Security Audit
Run this to check your current security posture:
openclaw security audit --deep
Auto-fix issues:
openclaw security audit --deep --fix
Step 1: Bind Gateway to Loopback Only
What this does: Prevents the gateway from accepting connections from other machines.
Check your ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:
{
"gateway": {
"bind": "loopback"
}
}
Options:
loopback — Only accessible from localhost (most secure)lan — Accessible from local network onlyauto — Binds to all interfaces (dangerous if exposed)
Step 2: Set Up Authentication
Option A: Token Authentication (Recommended)
Generate a secure token:
openssl rand -hex 32
Add to your config:
{
"gateway": {
"auth": {
"mode": "token",
"token": "your-64-char-hex-token-here"
}
}
}
Or set via environment:
export CLAWDBOT_GATEWAY_TOKEN="your-secure-random-token-here"
Option B: Password Authentication
{
"gateway": {
"auth": {
"mode": "password"
}
}
}
Then:
export CLAWDBOT_GATEWAY_PASSWORD="your-secure-password-here"
Step 3: Lock Down File Permissions
What this does: Ensures only you can read sensitive config files.
chmod 700 ~/.openclaw
chmod 600 ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
chmod 700 ~/.openclaw/credentials
Permission meanings:
700 = Only owner can access folder600 = Only owner can read/write file
Or let OpenClaw fix it:
openclaw security audit --fix
Step 4: Disable Network Broadcasting
What this does: Stops OpenClaw from announcing itself via mDNS/Bonjour.
Add to your shell config (~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc):
export CLAWDBOT_DISABLE_BONJOUR=1
Reload:
source ~/.zshrc
Step 5: Update Node.js
Older Node.js versions have security vulnerabilities. You need v22.12.0+.
Check version:
node --version
Mac (Homebrew):
brew update && brew upgrade node
Ubuntu/Debian:
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
Windows: Download from nodejs.org
Step 6: Set Up Tailscale (Remote Access)
What this does: Creates encrypted tunnel between your devices. Access OpenClaw from anywhere without public exposure.
Install Tailscale:
# Linux
curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh
sudo tailscale up
# Mac
brew install tailscale
Configure OpenClaw for Tailscale:
{
"gateway": {
"bind": "loopback",
"tailscale": {
"mode": "serve"
}
}
}
Now access via your Tailscale network only.
Step 7: Firewall Setup (UFW)
For cloud servers (AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, etc.)
Install UFW:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install ufw -y
Set defaults:
sudo ufw default deny incoming
sudo ufw default allow outgoing
Allow SSH (don't skip!):
sudo ufw allow ssh
Allow Tailscale (if using):
sudo ufw allow in on tailscale0
Enable:
sudo ufw enable
Verify:
sudo ufw status verbose
⚠️ Never do this:
# DON'T - exposes your gateway publicly
sudo ufw allow 18789
Step 8: SSH Hardening
Disable password auth (use SSH keys):
sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Change:
PasswordAuthentication no
PermitRootLogin no
Restart:
sudo systemctl restart sshd
Security Checklist
Before deploying:
Config Template (Secure Defaults)
{
"gateway": {
"port": 18789,
"bind": "loopback",
"auth": {
"mode": "token",
"token": "YOUR_64_CHAR_HEX_TOKEN"
},
"tailscale": {
"mode": "serve"
}
}
}
Credits
Based on security research by @NickSpisak_ who found 1,673+ exposed gateways on Shodan.
Original article: https://x.com/nickspisak_/status/2016195582180700592
Installation
clawdhub install NextFrontierBuilds/moltbot, openclaw-security
Built by @NextXFrontier
