Skip to main content

System Requirements

OpenClaw Version​

Minimum: OpenClaw v2026.1.0 or newer

Shield uses OpenClaw's plugin hooks that were introduced in v2026.1.0.

Check Your Version​

openclaw --version

Update OpenClaw​

npm update -g openclaw
Don't have OpenClaw?

Visit openclaw.org to install OpenClaw first.

Node.js & npm​

Minimum Versions:

  • Node.js 18.0.0+
  • npm 8.0.0+

Check Your Versions​

node --version  # Should be v18.0.0 or higher
npm --version   # Should be 8.0.0 or higher

Update Node.js​

Using nvm (recommended):

nvm install 18
nvm use 18

Or download from:

Operating System​

Shield works on:

  • ✅ Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 11+, CentOS 8+, etc.)
  • ✅ macOS (10.15 Catalina or newer)
  • ✅ Windows (10, 11, Server 2019+)

Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS) or macOS for production deployments.

Hardware Requirements​

Minimum (Small Bot)​

  • CPU: 1 core
  • RAM: 512 MB
  • Storage: 100 MB

Good for:

  • Personal bots
  • < 100 messages/day
  • Testing and development
  • CPU: 2+ cores
  • RAM: 2 GB+
  • Storage: 1 GB+

Good for:

  • Business bots
  • 1,000+ messages/day
  • Multiple channels
  • Semantic detection enabled

High Traffic (Enterprise)​

  • CPU: 4+ cores
  • RAM: 4 GB+
  • Storage: 5 GB+

Good for:

  • Large-scale deployments
  • 10,000+ messages/day
  • Multiple bots
  • Advanced analytics

Network Requirements​

Standalone Mode​

  • ✅ No internet required
  • ✅ All processing local
  • ✅ Works offline

With Backend Integration​

  • ✅ HTTPS outbound to securecheck.io (port 443)
  • ✅ ~10 KB/day data usage
  • ✅ Optional - graceful fallback to standalone

Firewall Rules:

# Allow outbound HTTPS to SecureCheck
https://api.securecheck.io  # Backend API
https://dashboard.securecheck.io  # Dashboard

Storage Requirements​

Base Installation​

  • Plugin Code: ~5 MB
  • Dependencies: ~50 MB
  • Built-in Rules: < 1 MB

Runtime Data​

  • Logs: ~1-10 MB/day (configurable)
  • Semantic DB: ~100-500 MB (if enabled)
  • Rate Limit Cache: < 1 MB

Total Estimate​

  • Minimal: 100 MB
  • Typical: 500 MB
  • With Semantic: 1 GB

Optional Dependencies​

For Semantic Detection​

Shield includes local semantic analysis using @xenova/transformers:

  • Additional Storage: ~200 MB (model files)
  • Additional RAM: ~500 MB during initialization
  • First startup: 30-60 seconds (downloads models)

Models are cached locally after first download.

Disable if limited resources:

{
  "semanticThreshold": 1.0  // Disables semantic detection
}

For Backend Integration​

Optional connection to SecureCheck backend:

  • No additional dependencies
  • Graceful fallback if unavailable
  • Works without internet

Performance Benchmarks​

Message Processing Speed​

Without Semantic Detection:

  • Average: 5-10 ms/message
  • P95: < 20 ms
  • P99: < 30 ms

With Semantic Detection:

  • Average: 15-30 ms/message
  • P95: < 50 ms
  • P99: < 100 ms

Throughput:

  • Single core: ~500 messages/second
  • Dual core: ~1,000 messages/second
  • Quad core: ~2,000 messages/second

Resource Usage​

CPU:

  • Idle: < 1%
  • Processing: 5-10% per core
  • Semantic: 20-30% per core during detection

Memory:

  • Base: ~100 MB
  • Per 1,000 rules: +50 MB
  • Semantic models: +500 MB

Compatibility​

OpenClaw Channels​

Shield works with ALL OpenClaw channels:

  • ✅ WhatsApp
  • ✅ Telegram
  • ✅ Discord
  • ✅ Slack
  • ✅ SMS
  • ✅ Facebook Messenger
  • ✅ Instagram
  • ✅ Email
  • ✅ Web chat
  • ✅ Custom channels

Database Support​

Shield doesn't require a database. All data stored in:

  • JSON files (rules, config)
  • In-memory cache (rate limiting)
  • LanceDB (semantic vectors, optional)

Security Requirements​

File Permissions​

Shield needs read/write access to:

  • ~/.openclaw/ - Configuration files
  • ~/.securecheck/shield/ - Shield data directory
  • /tmp/ or system temp - Temporary processing

Network Permissions​

  • Outbound HTTPS (optional, backend only)
  • No inbound ports required
  • No special firewall rules needed

User Permissions​

  • Standard user permissions (no root/admin needed)
  • Can run as non-privileged user
  • Follows OpenClaw's permission model

Deployment Environments​

Shield works in:

Bare Metal / VPS​

  • ✅ Direct installation on Linux/Windows servers
  • ✅ Systemd service integration
  • ✅ PM2 process management

Docker​

  • ✅ Runs in Docker containers
  • ✅ Compatible with docker-compose
  • ✅ Example Dockerfile available

Cloud Platforms​

  • ✅ AWS EC2, ECS, Lambda
  • ✅ Google Cloud Compute, Cloud Run
  • ✅ Azure VMs, Container Instances
  • ✅ DigitalOcean Droplets
  • ✅ Heroku, Render, Railway

Kubernetes​

  • ✅ Stateless deployment
  • ✅ Horizontal scaling
  • ✅ ConfigMap integration

Browser Requirements (Dashboard)​

For the web dashboard:

  • Chrome: 90+
  • Firefox: 88+
  • Safari: 14+
  • Edge: 90+

JavaScript must be enabled.

Upgrade Path​

From No Security to Shield​

  1. Install Shield
  2. Start with monitor mode
  3. Review logs for false positives
  4. Switch to flag mode
  5. Finally enable block mode

From Custom Security​

Shield integrates alongside existing security:

  • Doesn't conflict with other plugins
  • Can run in addition to custom filters
  • Migrate gradually

Not Supported​

❌ Node.js < 18 - Use nvm to upgrade ❌ OpenClaw < v2026.1.0 - Upgrade OpenClaw first ❌ Internet Explorer - Use modern browser for dashboard ❌ Python/Ruby bots - OpenClaw Shield is Node.js only

Need Help?​

If you're unsure about requirements:

  1. Try Quick Start - Most compatible setup
  2. Discord Community - Ask questions
  3. Email: support@securecheck.io