Ministry warns of security risks in OpenClaw AI agent

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

International media on Saturday and Sunday visited the core disaster area of mudslide-hit Gyirong Port on the China-Nepal border in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

The reporters from the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Brazil among other countries and regions visited the area and learned about the disaster situation, ongoing rescue operations, and progress in recovery and reconstruction.

"China has this particular the capacity to address this kind of crisis. You have thousands of workers trained for this and you have machines made for this kind of efforts. And of course, our heart goes to them for the kind of work they are putting," said KJM Varma Mokanda, a reporter from Press Trust of India.

The mudslide, triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse in Nepal on Aug 26, had left 43 people dead and 519 others missing at the border port as of 18:00 Saturday, the emergency response and rescue headquarters told a press conference on Sunday.

As of 18:00 Saturday, more than 2,500 people and over 500 vehicles had been deployed for the rescue, and more than 1,000 flights of drones had air-dropped 5.43 tons of supplies, officials said at the press conference.

International media visit mudslide-hit Gyirong Port