OpenClaw Tip #18: Tighten gateway file perms

OpenClaw’s gateway state folder (~/.openclaw) can contain credentials, session transcripts, and plugin code. A simple, high-impact hardening step is to tighten file permissions so other local users (or misconfigured processes) can’t read or modify it.

What to lock down (and why)

OpenClaw’s security docs recommend keeping ~/.openclaw private (typically 700) and your main config file ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json restricted (typically 600). This reduces the risk of secrets leakage and unauthorized configuration changes.

Step-by-step: fix permissions safely

1) Inspect current permissions

ls -ld ~/.openclaw
ls -l  ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

2) Apply a secure baseline

Run these commands on the machine hosting the gateway:

chmod 700 ~/.openclaw
chmod 600 ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

3) Let OpenClaw check (and optionally auto-fix)

The openclaw doctor and security audit flows can warn about unsafe permissions and help you tighten them:

openclaw doctor
openclaw security audit --fix

Extra best practices (quick wins)

• Use a dedicated OS user for the gateway if the host is shared.
• Keep filesystem roots narrow (avoid setting the agent workspace to broad paths like your full home directory).
• Treat plugins/extensions as trusted code; only install what you trust and keep an explicit allowlist.

Related OpenClaw tips on AiXSociety

• OpenClaw Tip #17: Keep your workspace private
• OpenClaw Tip #16: Don’t expose your gateway port

Keyword note: If you run OpenClaw on a shared machine (or inside a VPS with multiple users), tightening gateway permissions is one of the fastest security upgrades you can make.