Description

Currently, OpenClaw does not support multi-user permission management. All users with access to the system can view and modify sensitive information like API keys, credentials, and configurations.

Problem Statement

Use case:

• Primary user wants to share OpenClaw with family members/colleagues
• Different users should have different permission levels
• Sensitive credentials (API keys, OSS endpoints, etc.) should be protected
• Only admins should be able to view/modify sensitive configurations

Proposed Solution

Implement a role-based access control (RBAC) system with the following features:

User Roles

• Admin: Full access to all features, can view/modify sensitive configs (API keys, credentials)
• Standard User: Can use basic features but cannot access sensitive information
• Guest: Limited access, only allowed features

Sensitive Information Protection

• API keys stored in encrypted format
• Configurations with different visibility levels
• Audit logging for admin actions
• Environment variable isolation per user

Implementation Suggestions

1. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

   • Define user roles in configuration
   • Implement permission checks before sensitive operations
   • Support for custom role definitions

2. Credential Management

   • Store sensitive data in environment variables
   • Support for external secrets managers (Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, etc.)
   • Configuration file permissions (chmod 600)

3. Per-User Configuration

   • Separate config files or sections per user
   • User-specific environment variable sets
   • Session-based access tokens

4. Authentication & Authorization

   • Support multiple auth modes (token, OAuth, etc.)
   • Implement session management
   • Rate limiting per user

Use Case Examples

# Admin can see and modify everything
$ openclaw config get credentials.openai.api_key
sk-xxx...  # Full access

# Standard user cannot access sensitive info
$ openclaw config get credentials.openai.api_key
[Hidden - Insufficient permissions]

Priority

High - This is a security requirement for multi-user deployments.

Additional Context

This feature is essential for:

1. Family sharing (different members have different needs)
2. Team collaboration (role separation)
3. Security compliance (protect API keys)
4. Audit requirements (track who did what)

Thank you for considering this feature!