AI-Warden Setup

Prompt injection protection for OpenClaw agents. 5 security shields + contamination lockdown.

• Publisher: AI-Warden
• Source: github.com/ai-warden/openclaw-plugin
• NPM: openclaw-ai-warden

Requirements

• OpenClaw 2026.3.14+
• Node.js 18+

Installation — FOLLOW THESE STEPS EXACTLY

Step 0: Back up config

cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak && echo "BACKUP OK"

Step 1: Install files (single exec command — run ALL lines together)

mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/extensions/ai-warden && cd ~/.openclaw/extensions/ai-warden && echo '{"private":true}' > package.json && npm install openclaw-ai-warden@2.4.0 --quiet --no-fund --no-audit && cp node_modules/openclaw-ai-warden/index.ts . && cp node_modules/openclaw-ai-warden/openclaw.plugin.json . && cp -r node_modules/openclaw-ai-warden/src . && echo "INSTALL OK: $(grep VERSION index.ts | head -1)"

⚠️ CRITICAL: Run this as ONE command. All lines joined with

&&

Verify: The output MUST end with

INSTALL OK: const VERSION = "2.4.0"

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw (use node to patch JSON safely)

Run this exec command to add the plugin config. It preserves existing config:

node -e "
const fs = require('fs');
const p = process.env.HOME + '/.openclaw/openclaw.json';
const cfg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(p, 'utf8'));
if (!cfg.plugins) cfg.plugins = {};
cfg.plugins.enabled = true;
if (!cfg.plugins.allow) cfg.plugins.allow = [];
if (!cfg.plugins.allow.includes('ai-warden')) cfg.plugins.allow.push('ai-warden');
if (!cfg.plugins.entries) cfg.plugins.entries = {};
cfg.plugins.entries['ai-warden'] = {
  enabled: true,
  config: {
    layers: { content: 'block', channel: 'warn', preLlm: 'off', toolArgs: 'block', subagents: 'block', output: 'off' },
    sensitivity: 'balanced'
  }
};
fs.writeFileSync(p, JSON.stringify(cfg, null, 2));
console.log('CONFIG OK');
"

Verify: Output must be

CONFIG OK

If the user provided an API key, run a second command to add it:

node -e "
const fs = require('fs');
const p = process.env.HOME + '/.openclaw/openclaw.json';
const cfg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(p, 'utf8'));
cfg.plugins.entries['ai-warden'].config.apiKey = 'API_KEY_HERE';
fs.writeFileSync(p, JSON.stringify(cfg, null, 2));
console.log('API KEY ADDED');
"

Replace

API_KEY_HERE

Step 3: Restart gateway

openclaw gateway restart

Step 4: Verify

After restart, check logs or send

/warden

🛡️ AI-Warden v2.4.0 ready (mode: api|offline, layers: X/6)

If something breaks, restore config:

cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json && openclaw gateway restart

DO NOT

• Do NOT use

  edit

  tool on

  openclaw.json

  — JSON whitespace matching is fragile
• Do NOT use

  config.patch

  with nested objects — it often fails with format errors
• Do NOT skip the

  cp

  step — OpenClaw loads from the extension directory, not node_modules
• Do NOT restart multiple times — wait at least 15 seconds between restarts

Updating

cd ~/.openclaw/extensions/ai-warden && npm install openclaw-ai-warden@latest --quiet && cp node_modules/openclaw-ai-warden/index.ts . && cp -r node_modules/openclaw-ai-warden/src . && echo "UPDATE OK"

Then restart gateway.

Security Shields

block

warn

off

block

block

Contamination Lockdown

When File Shield detects a CRITICAL threat (score >500), the session is flagged as contaminated. All dangerous tools (

exec

write

edit

message

sessions_send

sessions_spawn

tts

Runtime Commands

/warden                      → status overview with all shields
/warden stats                → scan/block counts
/warden shield file block    → set File Shield to block mode
/warden shield chat warn     → set Chat Shield to warn mode
/warden reset                → reset statistics

Detection Modes

Get API key: https://ai-warden.io/signup

Troubleshooting

• "plugin not found":

  openclaw.plugin.json

  missing from extension dir. Re-run Step 1.
• False positives on user messages: Set Chat Shield to

  warn

  (default) instead of

  block

  .
• File Shield detects but doesn't block: API key required for reliable blocking (98.9% vs 60%).
• Config errors after install: Restore backup:

  cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

• Bot won't start: Check

  journalctl -u openclaw-gateway -n 20

  for actual error.
• Workspace files flagged: Plugin auto-whitelists

  .openclaw/workspace/

  and

  .openclaw/agents/

  paths.