China warns of security risks linked to OpenClaw open-source AI agent

China’s industry ministry warns that improperly configured OpenClaw AI deployments may lead to cyberattacks and data leaks, citing “high security risks” in default setups. The open-source AI agent enables autonomous, memory-equipped assistants but requires careful configuration to remain secure.

Shi Bu, Che Pan and Brenda Goh/Reuters

February 05, 2026

China warns of security risks linked to OpenClaw open-source AI agent

FILE PHOTO: AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters and robot hand are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration created on June 23, 2023.

Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters

FILE PHOTO: AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters and robot hand are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration created on June 23, 2023.

China's industry ministry on Thursday issued a security alert warning that improper deployment of the open-source AI agent OpenClaw could expose systems to cyberattacks and data leaks.

The warning said recent monitoring found that some OpenClaw deployments carry "high security risks" when left under default or poorly configured settings.

OpenClaw, formerly known as Clawdbot or Moltbot, is an open-source AI agent that integrates large language models with multi-channel communication capabilities to create customizable AI assistants with persistent memory and autonomous execution features.

-Shi Bu, Che Pan and Brenda Goh/Reuters