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/safe-exec

by ottttto

Safe command execution for OpenClaw Agents with automatic danger pattern detection, risk assessment, user approval workflow, and audit logging. Use when agents need to execute shell commands that may

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SafeExec - Safe Command Execution

Provides secure command execution capabilities for OpenClaw Agents with automatic interception of dangerous operations and approval workflow.

Features

  • šŸ” Automatic danger pattern detection - Identifies risky commands before execution
  • šŸšØ Risk-based interception - Multi-level assessment (CRITICAL/HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW)
  • šŸ’¬ In-session notifications - Real-time alerts in your current terminal/session
  • āœ… User approval workflow - Commands wait for explicit confirmation
  • šŸ“Š Complete audit logging - Full traceability of all operations
  • šŸ¤– Agent-friendly - Non-interactive mode support for automated workflows
  • šŸ”§ Platform-agnostic - Works independently of communication tools (Feishu, Telegram, etc.)

Quick Start

Installation (One Command)

The easiest way to install SafeExec:

Just say in your OpenClaw chat:

Help me install SafeExec skill from ClawdHub

OpenClaw will automatically download, install, and configure SafeExec for you!

Alternative: Manual Installation

If you prefer manual installation:

# Using ClawdHub CLI
export CLAWDHUB_REGISTRY=https://www.clawhub.ai
clawdhub install safe-exec

# Or download directly from GitHub
git clone https://github.com/OTTTTTO/safe-exec.git ~/.openclaw/skills/safe-exec
chmod +x ~/.openclaw/skills/safe-exec/safe-exec*.sh

Enable SafeExec

After installation, simply say:

Enable SafeExec

SafeExec will start monitoring all shell commands automatically!

How It Works

Once enabled, SafeExec automatically monitors all shell command executions. When a potentially dangerous command is detected, it intercepts the execution and requests your approval through in-session terminal notifications.

Architecture:

  • Requests stored in: ~/.openclaw/safe-exec/pending/
  • Audit log: ~/.openclaw/safe-exec-audit.log
  • Rules config: ~/.openclaw/safe-exec-rules.json

Usage

Enable SafeExec:

Enable SafeExec

Turn on SafeExec

Start SafeExec

Once enabled, SafeExec runs transparently in the background. Agents can execute commands normally, and SafeExec will automatically intercept dangerous operations:

Delete all files in /tmp/test

Format the USB drive

SafeExec detects the risk level and displays an in-session prompt for approval.

Risk Levels

CRITICAL: System-destructive commands (rm -rf /, dd, mkfs, etc.) HIGH: User data deletion or significant system changes MEDIUM: Service operations or configuration changes LOW: Read operations and safe file manipulations

Approval Workflow

  1. Agent executes a command
  2. SafeExec analyzes the risk level
  3. In-session notification displayed in your terminal
  4. Approve or reject via:
    • Terminal: safe-exec-approve <request_id>
    • List pending: safe-exec-list
    • Reject: safe-exec-reject <request_id>
  5. Command executes or is cancelled

Example notification:

šŸšØ **Dangerous Operation Detected - Command Intercepted**

**Risk Level:** CRITICAL
**Command:** `rm -rf /tmp/test`
**Reason:** Recursive deletion with force flag

**Request ID:** `req_1769938492_9730`

ā„¹ļø  This command requires user approval to execute.

**Approval Methods:**
1. In terminal: `safe-exec-approve req_1769938492_9730`
2. Or: `safe-exec-list` to view all pending requests

**Rejection Method:**
 `safe-exec-reject req_1769938492_9730`

Configuration

Environment variables for customization:

  • SAFE_EXEC_DISABLE - Set to '1' to globally disable safe-exec
  • OPENCLAW_AGENT_CALL - Automatically enabled in agent mode (non-interactive)
  • SAFE_EXEC_AUTO_CONFIRM - Auto-approve LOW/MEDIUM risk commands

Examples

Enable SafeExec:

Enable SafeExec

After enabling, agents work normally:

Delete old log files from /var/log

SafeExec automatically detects this is HIGH risk (deletion) and displays an in-session approval prompt.

Safe operations pass through without interruption:

List files in /home/user/documents

This is LOW risk and executes without approval.

Global Control

Check status:

safe-exec-list

View audit log:

cat ~/.openclaw/safe-exec-audit.log

Disable SafeExec globally:

Disable SafeExec

Or set environment variable:

export SAFE_EXEC_DISABLE=1

Reporting Issues

Found a bug? Have a feature request?

Please report issues at: šŸ”— https://github.com/OTTTTTO/safe-exec/issues

We welcome community feedback, bug reports, and feature suggestions!

When reporting issues, please include:

  • SafeExec version (run: grep "VERSION" ~/.openclaw/skills/safe-exec/safe-exec.sh)
  • OpenClaw version
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Expected vs actual behavior
  • Relevant logs from ~/.openclaw/safe-exec-audit.log

Audit Log

All command executions are logged with:

  • Timestamp
  • Command executed
  • Risk level
  • Approval status
  • Execution result
  • Request ID for traceability

Log location: ~/.openclaw/safe-exec-audit.log

Integration

SafeExec integrates seamlessly with OpenClaw agents. Once enabled, it works transparently without requiring changes to agent behavior or command structure. The approval workflow is entirely local and independent of any external communication platform.

Platform Independence

SafeExec operates at the session level, working with any communication channel your OpenClaw instance supports (webchat, Feishu, Telegram, Discord, etc.). The approval workflow happens through your terminal, ensuring you maintain control regardless of how you're interacting with your agent.

Support & Community

License

MIT License - See LICENSE for details.