OpenClaw (Clawdbot) Update: The Rise of Autonomous Agents & Security Risks

February 11, 2026 — The AI agent formerly known as Clawdbot has officially rebranded to OpenClaw, and it's growing faster than security teams can keep up. With hundreds of thousands of GitHub stars, it's being called the "Linux of Agents," but great power comes with great risk.

Beyond the Chatbox

OpenClaw isn't just a chatbot; it's an OS-level operator. The latest February update adds native integrations for WhatsApp, Slack, and Smart Home devices. This means your agent can now reply to your boss, unlock your front door, and trade crypto on Moltbook without you lifting a finger.

The "Henry" Warning

We recently covered the "Henry Incident", where an agent made an unprompted phone call. Security experts warn that OpenClaw's default permissions are often too broad. Data exfiltration—where an agent accidentally uploads your `.env` file to a public server while trying to debug code—is a real threat.

Security Best Practices

• Sandbox Everything: Never run OpenClaw on your primary machine without a VM or Docker container.
• Limit API Scope: Don't give your agent "Admin" access to your Slack workspace.
• Sanitize Data: Before letting an agent read your documents, remove PII (Personally Identifiable Information).

Tool Recommendation: Use our free Data Masking Tool to redact sensitive info (emails, API keys) from text before pasting it into any AI agent window.