gateway

Run, inspect, and query the OpenClaw Gateway

SERVEROpenClaw SOURCEopenclaw

High RISK CLASS

Category Execute

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity verified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/openclaw/gateway.md

WHAT IT DOES

What gateway does on OpenClaw

AI agents invoke gateway to trigger actions in OpenClaw. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

RISK

Why gateway is rated High

The primary action indicated is "Run", which denotes execution of code or operations. Without more specific details about what the gateway does, the tool appears capable of executing commands or queries that could have side effects. However, confidence is moderated due to lack of detailed description about the specific nature of gateway operations and potential blast radius.

From the tool's definition The tool description states it can "Run, inspect, and query the OpenClaw Gateway". The verb "Run" indicates execution of operations, which falls under the Execute category.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs gateway safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and OpenClaw, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For gateway, this is the rule to start with:

gateway Rate-limited

gateway stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "gateway": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "gateway_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect OpenClaw, apply this rule, and every gateway call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about gateway

What does the gateway tool do? +

Run, inspect, and query the OpenClaw Gateway. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the OpenClaw MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on gateway? +

Register the OpenClaw MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for gateway: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches OpenClaw. Nothing to install.

What risk level is gateway? +

gateway is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit gateway? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the gateway rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block gateway completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for gateway. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides gateway? +

gateway is provided by the OpenClaw MCP server (openclaw). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

More on OpenClaw, and thousands of servers like it.

This server

All 129 OpenClaw tools → High-risk tools on this server →

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All high-risk MCP tools → The MCP Attack Database →

Guides

Govern code and CI agents →Agent sandbox →Least privilege for MCP →