China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has warned that the OpenClaw open-source AI assistant could pose security risks under default or improper configurations, exposing users to cyberattacks and data breaches.
OpenClaw, which is created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger, is designed to allow large language models to operate computers autonomously, controlling files, executing commands and interacting through messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram.
According to the National Vulnerability DataBase (NVDB) of the ministry, users become susceptible to security risks such as data leaks and devices subject to remote control when using OpenClaw in the absence of effective permission controls, auditing mechanisms and security reinforcement.
The AI agent's vulnerability lies in its operation within "blurred trust boundaries" during its deployment, and its features including continuous operation, autonomous decision-making and access to system and external resources.
Experts advise that relevant organizations and individuals disable unnecessary public network access when deploying OpenClaw applications, improve security mechanisms such as identity authentication, access control, data encryption and security auditing, and continuously pay attention to official security announcements and hardening recommendations.
Ministry warns of security risks in OpenClaw AI agent
China unveiled a new action plan on Friday aimed at supercharging artificial intelligence (AI) entrepreneurship among the country's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by 2028.
Released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the plan sets ambitious goals for cultivating a new generation of AI-driven companies across key sectors, including AI-related industrial applications, data services, and intelligent computing infrastructure.
Under the plan, the government aims to nurture more than 10,000 AI-focused SMEs and help over 2,000 companies achieve "little giant" status, a designation reserved for highly specialized, sophisticated firms with strong market positions.
The initiative also envisions the emergence of a wave of high-growth "gazelle" companies and "unicorn" startups in the AI space.
To build the ecosystem needed to support these goals, the plan calls for the construction of 10 high-standard technology enterprise incubators and 10 national-level public service demonstration platforms for SMEs. In addition, 10 new national-level SME industrial clusters with distinct AI specializations will be established.
Moreover, the plan will guide local authorities in optimizing talent evaluation systems to help startups attract and retain top-tier professionals.
It also proposes providing low-cost computing power to early-stage ventures and building a comprehensive patience capital support system to ensure long-term financial backing for AI startups.
This directive forms a central pillar of China's broader 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), which prioritizes technological self-reliance, supply-chain resilience, and the widespread deployment of the national "AI plus" initiative.
China unveils ambitious plan to cultivate over 10,000 SMEs in AI sector
