OpenClaw is here, and the name alone is not the only surprise. I can confirm the fast moving AI agent once called Moltbot, and before that Clawdbot, has rebranded again. The switch is already creating confusion. It is also giving scammers a fresh opening. If you use AI agents, pay attention.
What changed today
The team behind the project has adopted a new banner, OpenClaw. This follows a quick series of renames from Clawdbot to Moltbot, then to OpenClaw. The software aims to be a general purpose AI agent. It reads, plans, and acts across apps. The tech is impressive. The naming churn is not.
Rapid renames break habits. Bookmarks go stale. Repo links shift. Install guides lag. This is the perfect storm for fake sites, lookalike packages, and shady downloads. I am already seeing early signs of that pattern, which always shows up when a brand moves faster than its docs and distribution.
Why the name churn invites risk
Attackers love change. When a project changes names, the target for trust moves too. That creates gaps. Typosquatters register domains that look one letter off. They ship packages with familiar names in public registries. They copy readme files, then slip in a payload. Browser extensions and desktop installers are prime bait.
Do not install anything called OpenClaw from a link you found in a forum or chat. Treat every download as hostile until verified. 🚨
I expect phishing emails that pretend to be upgrade notices. I also expect fake GitHub orgs and mirror repos. Security teams should watch for new binaries and npm or PyPI entries that piggyback on the rename.
What OpenClaw actually is, in plain terms
OpenClaw is an AI agent that can plan tasks, call tools, and loop through steps until a goal is met. Think of it as an assistant that can read a page, write a draft, ping an API, and file the result. It likely plugs into browsers, terminals, and common SaaS apps. It will need wide permissions to be useful. That power is why trust in the source matters so much.
On the technical side, expect a core orchestration engine, a library of tools, and connectors for the web and files. Expect prompt templates, memory, and rules to control actions. Also expect permissions prompts that keep the agent from going too far. If you do not see clear permission boundaries, do not run it.
How to verify you have the real OpenClaw
Here is the simple path I recommend right now. Follow all of it, not just one step.
- Start at the project’s official website or org, linked from a channel you already trust.
- Check that the code and releases are signed by the same key used before the rename.
- Verify checksums for installers, and match them on more than one page.
- Use pinned package names and lockfiles, and avoid copy paste commands from screenshots.
- Test in a sandbox or a spare account before you go to production.
Pause 24 hours before updating anything on a critical machine. Let false links flush out, and let maintainers post redirects and signatures.
Security teams should also set allowlists for domains and repos. Watch DNS and certificate changes. Alert on new processes that request clipboard, file system, or browser control.
About Cloudflare’s Moltworker, and why it matters
Cloudflare has also introduced Moltworker, a personal, self hosted AI agent. It is separate from OpenClaw. The names are similar, which adds to the noise. Moltworker runs in your own environment and uses Cloudflare’s platform to host the logic. OpenClaw is its own project with its own pipeline. Do not mix the two when you install or test.
Moltworker and OpenClaw are different projects with different teams. Similar names do not mean shared code, keys, or security standards.
What this means for users and the industry
For everyday users, the advice is simple. Slow down. Verify everything. Do not chase the new name before the project stabilizes its links and signatures. If your company uses AI agents, treat this like a supply chain change. Review keys. Review registries. Review update paths.
For the industry, this is another lesson in identity hygiene. Open projects need clear, predictable names and namespaces. They need signed releases, reproducible builds, and public keys that survive a rename. Redirects should be in place before the logo changes. Package registries should enforce stronger transfer policies. The cost of confusion is not just support tickets. It is compromise.
I will keep tracking OpenClaw as the branding settles and the code ships under its new badge. The tech can be useful, but only if trust keeps up. Until then, assume unknown links are traps, and let proof, not a new name, guide your installs.
