An open-source policy engine that enforces per-tool, per-user, and per-context execution rules on OpenClaw agents before any action fires

OpenClaw v2026.5.20 shipped basic Policy Checks, but they only block tool classes at a binary level. EnterpriseClaw requires a full Automation Anywhere contract. Teams with 5-50 agents need something in between: granular rules (this agent can read files but not delete, can call GPT-4 but not send emails, can run in staging but not production) without buying an enterprise platform. 500K+ exposed instances and 433+ CVEs prove the default-open model fails at scale. This policy engine sits between the agent runtime and tool execution, evaluating every action against a declarative ruleset before it fires.

Demand Breakdown

1,052

Social Proof 3 sources

Ask HN: Who is using OpenClaw?

@misterchocolat · 2026-04-17

725 HN

Sandboxes won't save you from OpenClaw

@logicx24 · 2026-02-27

215 HN

OpenClaw had a rough week

@kevincortes · 2026-05-09

112

Gap Assessment

CompetitiveMultiple tools exist but differentiation opportunities remain

3 tools exist (EnterpriseClaw (Automation Anywhere), OpenClaw v2026.5.20 Policy Checks, SecureClaw (Adversa AI)) but gaps remain: Requires Automation Anywhere contract. Not available as standalone open-source. Not usable by small teams or indie developers.; No per-user rules, no per-context rules, no audit trail, no policy testing mode, no granular tool-level controls beyond class blocking..

Features4 agent-ready prompts

YAML-based policy ruleset that maps agent ID + tool name + context tags to allow/deny/audit decisions with wildcard and regex matching

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Runtime interceptor that hooks into OpenClaw's tool execution pipeline via the gateway plugin API and evaluates every call against the policy tree before execution

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CLI dashboard that shows real-time policy evaluations, denied actions, and audit trail with filtering by agent, tool, and time window

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Policy testing mode that dry-runs a recorded agent session against a new policy ruleset and reports what would have been blocked

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Competitive LandscapeFREE

Product	Does	Missing
EnterpriseClaw (Automation Anywhere)	Full enterprise agent governance with Cisco AI Defense, Okta identity, Nvidia OpenShell runtime. Centralized control across cloud and on-prem.	Requires Automation Anywhere contract. Not available as standalone open-source. Not usable by small teams or indie developers.
OpenClaw v2026.5.20 Policy Checks	Basic binary allow/deny for tool classes. Built into OpenClaw core.	No per-user rules, no per-context rules, no audit trail, no policy testing mode, no granular tool-level controls beyond class blocking.
SecureClaw (Adversa AI)	55 automated audit and hardening checks. OWASP-aligned. Runs as plugin + skill.	Audit and hardening tool, not a runtime policy engine. Does not intercept and enforce rules on live tool execution.

Aggregate Score

400,102

0 leads found

Details

TypeProduct Idea

Competitors3

Features4

Issues3

Leads0

Source Signals

All signals →

400KOpenClaw v2026.5.20 Ships Policy Checks: First Governance Enforcement Layer for Agent Tool Use 67NSA Publishes MCP Security Design Guidance — Warns AI Agent Deployments Have Not-Well-Traced Attack Paths 35EnterpriseClaw Launches: Automation Anywhere + Cisco + Nvidia + Okta + OpenAI Bring Claw-Style Agents to Enterprise

Related Ideas

All ideas →

0A CLI tool that scans a running OpenClaw instance for every known CVE, exposed endpoint, malicious skill, and token scope violation, then outputs a prioritized remediation checklist 0A runtime behavioral sandbox that detects guidance injection attacks in OpenClaw skills by observing what agents actually do instead of scanning what skills say 0A CLI tool that scans a running OpenClaw instance, scores its security posture, maps plugin dependencies to alternative platforms, and outputs a stay-or-migrate recommendation with effort estimates