As open-source AI agent project OpenClaw has surpassed 320,000 stars on GitHub and risen to the top ten repositories worldwide, hackers are eyeing this lucrative target. Security firm OX Security has reported recent large-scale phishing campaigns targeting developers, where hackers use GitHub’s tagging feature to spread false messages about “claiming $5,000 CLAW tokens,” tricking users into clicking links and draining their crypto wallets.
(Background: Full transcript of Jensen Huang’s GTC 2026 speech: AI demand reaches trillions of dollars, computing power jumps 350 times, OpenClaw turns every company into AaaS)
(Additional context: China’s Ministry of State Security warns of “Lobster Farming”: OpenClaw contains four major security mines, your device could be compromised)
Table of Contents
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- GitHub “Tagging” Feature Hijacked by Malicious Actors
- “Pixel-perfect” Website Cloning Hidden Wallet Drainers
- Founder Urgently Clarifies: No Token Promotions for OpenClaw
- Multiple Attack Vectors: Fake Installers and Malicious Plugins
Amid the wave of AI Agents, popular open-source projects are becoming new battlegrounds for targeted hacker attacks. According to a security alert issued by OX Security on March 18, a “wallet draining” operation targeting OpenClaw supporters is currently underway.
GitHub “Tagging” Feature Hijacked by Malicious Actors
This attack has caught many veteran developers off guard due to its use of “living-off-the-land” social engineering tactics. Hackers leverage the GitHub API to filter high-value targets who have starred (liked) the OpenClaw project, then open discussion threads in malicious repositories and simultaneously tag dozens of developers.
Since these notifications come from GitHub’s official email address ([email protected]), they are highly convincing. The attackers claim that the recipient has been selected to receive a $5,000 “CLAW” token reward, luring victims to phishing sites.
“Pixel-perfect” Website Cloning Hidden Wallet Drainers
According to OX Security’s technical analysis, hackers have set up malicious domains like token-claw[.]xyz, which nearly perfectly replicate the official OpenClaw website (openclaw.ai). However, these phishing sites include a critical “Connect your wallet” button.
Once clicked, a hidden “Wallet Drainer” script activates, supporting popular wallets like MetaMask and WalletConnect. The obfuscation script eleven.js communicates with the C2 server watery-compost[.]today, and after user authorization, instantly transfers all assets from the account.
Founder Urgently Clarifies: No Token Promotions for OpenClaw
In response to this aggressive attack, OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger issued a stern warning on X (formerly Twitter):
“Everyone, if you receive emails or visit websites claiming to be related to OpenClaw and offering tokens, it’s definitely a scam. OpenClaw is a non-profit project, and we will never run such promotions.”
Folks, if you get crypto emails from websites claiming to be associated with openclaw, it’s ALWAYS a scam.
We would never do that. The project is open source and non-commercial. Use the official website. Be sceptical of folks trying to build commercial wrappers on top of it.
— Peter Steinberger 🦞 (@steipete) March 18, 2026
Multiple Attack Vectors: Fake Installers and Malicious Plugins
In fact, the security threat to OpenClaw extends beyond this. Earlier this month, cybersecurity researchers uncovered additional risks:
- Fake Installers: Malicious repositories leverage Bing AI search result rankings to distribute fake OpenClaw installers embedded with Vidar info-stealing trojans.
- NPM Supply Chain Attacks: Hackers released malicious packages like @openclaw-ai/openclawai, which deploy GhostLoader remote access trojans upon installation.
- ClawHub Malicious Plugins: In the “Skills” store designed for OpenClaw, up to 12% of plugins were found to contain AMOS info-stealing malware.
Currently, OpenClaw ranks ninth globally in popularity on GitHub. Security experts urge all developers to avoid testing unknown AI plugins on machines containing enterprise credentials or large digital asset stores, and to reject any “blind signature” authorization requests.
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