IronClaw

What is IronClaw?

IronClaw is an open-source secure runtime for executing AI agents. It runs within encrypted enclaves on NEAR AI Cloud, providing a privacy-focused alternative to OpenClaw. Users deploy it to run AI agents that can browse, research, code, and automate tasks. Its core purpose is to allow these advanced AI operations while ensuring credentials and secrets are never exposed to the large language model.

Application scenarios

Secure task automation: Deploy AI agents to handle automated workflows without risking credential leaks.
Private research and browsing: Use AI agents to conduct web research where login tokens and API keys must remain protected.
Safe coding assistance: Leverage AI for coding tasks where proprietary keys or sensitive data is involved.
General AI assistant use: Replace a standard personal AI assistant with a version that operates within a hardened security environment.

Main features

One-click cloud deployment: Launch a private IronClaw instance directly on NEAR AI Cloud with a single action.
Trusted Execution Environment (TEE): The instance boots inside an encrypted enclave, providing hardware-level security from startup.
Encrypted credential vault: Securely store API keys, tokens, and passwords in a vault that is encrypted at rest.
Credential injection: The vault injects credentials directly into outgoing requests only for pre-approved endpoints, keeping raw values hidden from the AI.
Allowlist security: Credentials are injected solely for URLs explicitly permitted by the user-defined allowlist.
Sandboxed tool execution: Each tool or skill runs in its own isolated WebAssembly (Wasm) container.
Capability-based permissions: Sandboxed tools operate with strictly defined permissions to limit lateral movement if compromised.
Memory safety verification: The runtime includes verification for memory safety within the secure enclave.
Local deployment option: The platform can be run locally, not solely on NEAR AI Cloud.

Target users

Developers and engineers building or deploying AI agents that require high-security guarantees. Security-conscious teams and individuals using personal AI assistants for tasks involving sensitive credentials. Organizations seeking an open-source, auditable alternative to standard AI agent platforms.

How to use IronClaw?

You can deploy IronClaw in minutes. For the cloud option, visit the NEAR AI Cloud platform and deploy your instance with one click—it automatically provisions within a Trusted Execution Environment. After deployment, you add your API keys and credentials to its encrypted vault and define an allowlist of permitted endpoints. You then interact with your AI agent as usual, with IronClaw managing secure credential injection in the background. You can also run IronClaw locally.

Effect review

IronClaw addresses a critical pain point in agentic AI: operational security. By architecting a system where credentials are physically separated from the LLM and tools are rigorously sandboxed, it provides a tangible security upgrade over standard setups. The focus on verifiable memory safety and the use of Rust and WebAssembly suggest a strong engineering foundation aimed at preventing entire classes of vulnerabilities. For users whose AI workflows involve sensitive keys or data, IronClaw's model offers a practical path to maintain functionality while significantly reducing the risk of credential exfiltration via prompt injection or tool compromise.