How to Self-Host OpenClaw on a VPS in 2026 (Hardened Setup Guide)
The CertiK study published today identified 135,000 internet-exposed OpenClaw instances with systemic security failures: authentication disabled, API keys in plaintext, malware in the skills store. Most of those deployments weren’t the result of malicious intent — they were the result of setting up OpenClaw following the default quick-start guide and then opening it to the internet. This guide is the one you should follow instead. It covers a complete, production-grade VPS deployment of OpenClaw v2026.4.1 with the security hardening necessary to run it safely on a public-facing server. ...