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Clawdbot’s Viral Run Prompts Security Scrutiny and Reported Rebrand to Moltbot

Early users confront security exposure alongside real API bills.

Overview

  • Clawdbot is an open-source, self-hosted agent that runs on a user’s machine, connects via messaging apps, and can browse, execute shell commands, manage files, and control a browser.
  • Developer adoption has surged with active community builds and a wave of dedicated hosts, with many users opting for always-on Mac Minis even as the tool also runs on Windows and Linux.
  • Security researchers have identified misconfigured, internet-exposed gateways with no authentication, and community guidance urges local bindings, authentication, tunnels, and key rotation alongside rapid patching.
  • Heavy token consumption has surprised users, with reports of significant charges in days of routine use, pushing many to pair frontier cloud models with cheaper local models to control costs.
  • Multiple reports say the project is rebranding to Moltbot following a trademark request from Anthropic, as high-profile attention and community contributions continue to accelerate development.