Allowed users
Begin with one trusted Telegram user ID. Add other users only after the direct-message loop, logs, and notification behavior are stable.
Private assistant safety
OpenClaw assistant access control checklist
A private Telegram assistant should know exactly who it serves and what it may do.
Use this checklist before adding groups, extra tools, or autonomous tasks to your OpenClaw assistant setup.
Start narrow
What to lock down first
Access control is not only about hackers. It is also about preventing accidental actions from the wrong chat, group, or workflow.
Allowed chats
Separate direct messages, groups, and topic IDs. A group assistant needs stricter routing than a one-owner personal assistant.
Tool permissions
Keep read-only tools separate from write-capable tools. Sending messages, changing files, deploying, or publishing should have explicit rules.
Confirmation rules
Require confirmation for external sends, destructive edits, public posts, payments, credentials, and anything that affects another person.
Group behavior
Define whether the assistant replies to every message, only mentions, or only a dedicated topic. Avoid noisy assistants in shared chats.
Audit trail
Keep enough logs and project notes to understand what changed, why it changed, and whether a human decision was involved.
A practical rollout order
- Validate the assistant in a direct chat with one owner.
- Confirm it ignores unknown users and unintended chats.
- Add one low-risk read-only workflow, such as status checks or documentation lookup.
- Add write-capable tools only with clear confirmation rules.
- Move into Telegram groups or topics after direct-message behavior is boring and reliable.
Good default rules
- Reply only where the assistant is expected to reply.
- Never expose private workspace notes in public or group contexts.
- Draft first for outbound communication unless sending was clearly requested.
- Ask before deleting, publishing, paying, changing access, or touching credentials.
- Record durable decisions in project notes instead of relying on chat history alone.
Where the Launch Kit helps
The OpenClaw Telegram Assistant Launch Kit includes setup guidance, persona files, Telegram group notes, troubleshooting paths, and safety-oriented defaults so access control is designed before the assistant becomes part of daily work.