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zurbrick

OpenClaw Backup

by Don Zurbrick · GitHub ↗ · v1.1.0 · MIT-0
cross-platform ⚠ suspicious
194
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Install in OpenClaw
/install openclaw-backup-zurbrick
Description
Encrypted backup and restore for OpenClaw agents. Creates two-tier archives: cloud-safe operational backups plus optional age-encrypted secrets for local rec...
Usage Guidance
This package appears to be a genuine OpenClaw backup/restore toolkit, but note the following before installing or running it: - Metadata mismatch: The registry claims no required binaries or env vars, but the scripts require tar and python3; many flows also require the openclaw CLI. Optional features require age (for secrets) and gh (for pushing to GitHub). Ensure those tools are installed and you understand which flows use them. - GitHub push: push-to-github.sh uses your gh CLI and will create/push to a private repo under your authenticated GitHub account. Verify gh is authenticated to the account you intend and confirm the repo visibility and contents before pushing. - Sensitive data access: Operational backups include $HOME/.openclaw/workspace and other agent files (workspace, memory, skills). Secrets (.env, agents/) are opt-in but if you enable secrets, confirm they are encrypted with age and that you control the age keys/passphrase files. - Cron/scheduling: schedule.sh will create/replace an OpenClaw cron entry with the same name. This is expected for scheduled backups but is an impactful change — review the SYSTEM_EVENT text and cron parameters before enabling. - Verification: Run the scripts in no-op / dry-run modes first (verify.sh, restore.sh --dry-run, monthly-drill.sh) on a test host to confirm behavior and to inspect what gets copied into backup archives. Because the metadata understates runtime requirements, proceed cautiously: inspect the scripts locally, confirm your tooling (openclaw, gh, age, python3), and test on a non-production node before trusting automated or scheduled runs.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill Name: openclaw-backup-zurbrick Version: 1.1.0 The openclaw-backup skill bundle provides a robust and well-documented system for agent disaster recovery. It includes scripts for creating tiered backups (operational and secrets), verifying archive integrity via SHA-256 checksums, and performing atomic restores with built-in rollback mechanisms. Notable security features include automatic redaction of sensitive keys in configuration files (backup.sh), mandatory encryption using 'age' for secrets archives, and strict validation in the GitHub push script (push-to-github.sh) to prevent the upload of unencrypted credentials. The use of OpenClaw's cron system for scheduling is implemented according to platform standards without evidence of malicious intent.
Capability Assessment
Purpose & Capability
The scripts and docs implement an OpenClaw backup/verify/restore workflow (operational vs secrets archives, manifests, scheduled drills, GitHub push). That aligns with the name/description. However the registry metadata claims no required binaries or env vars while the scripts clearly require tar, python3, and often openclaw; optional flows require age and gh. The lack of declared runtime requirements in metadata is an inconsistency that could mislead operators.
Instruction Scope
SKILL.md stays on-topic and instructs running the provided scripts and using references. The scripts stage and copy $HOME/.openclaw content (workspace, openclaw.json, cron/jobs.json) and optionally secrets (.env, agents/) which is appropriate for a backup tool. The push-to-github.sh flow uses the user's gh CLI and authenticated account — expected but high-impact if misused. No instructions attempt to read unrelated system secrets or exfiltrate data to third-party endpoints beyond GitHub (via gh) and only with the user's authenticated gh CLI.
Install Mechanism
No install spec is present (instruction-only for installation), so nothing is automatically downloaded or written by an installer. The risk is limited to running the included scripts. No remote download URLs or archive extraction from untrusted hosts are present in the package.
Credentials
Metadata lists zero required env vars/credentials, but the runtime code references optional env vars (AGE_RECIPIENT, AGE_PASSPHRASE_FILE, AGE_IDENTITY_FILE, OPENCLAW_DIR, BACKUP_DIR, CRON_NAME, etc.). The scripts also depend on the user's gh authentication and the openclaw CLI. Requesting or using age and gh is proportionate to the described secrets encryption and GitHub push features, but the metadata not declaring these dependencies is misleading and increases the chance an operator will run scripts without realizing which credentials/tools are used.
Persistence & Privilege
The skill is not always-enabled and does not request elevated platform privileges. It can create or replace OpenClaw cron entries (via openclaw cron create/delete) which is within the expected scope for scheduling backups but is an impactful operation — the scheduler behavior is documented in scripts. The skill does not modify other skills' configurations or system-wide agent settings beyond interacting with the user's OpenClaw cron API.
How to Use
  1. Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
  2. Run the install command in chat: /install openclaw-backup-zurbrick
  3. After installation, invoke the skill by name or use /openclaw-backup-zurbrick
  4. Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v1.1.0
Leaned out the runtime skill, moved weekly/monthly/pre-change workflow detail into a focused reference, and tightened the public README around backup, verify, restore, and GitHub-safe archive flows.
Metadata
Slug openclaw-backup-zurbrick
Version 1.1.0
License MIT-0
All-time Installs 0
Active Installs 0
Total Versions 1
Frequently Asked Questions

What is OpenClaw Backup?

Encrypted backup and restore for OpenClaw agents. Creates two-tier archives: cloud-safe operational backups plus optional age-encrypted secrets for local rec... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 194 downloads so far.

How do I install OpenClaw Backup?

Run "/install openclaw-backup-zurbrick" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.

Is OpenClaw Backup free?

Yes, OpenClaw Backup is completely free, licensed under MIT-0. You can download, install and use it at no cost.

Which platforms does OpenClaw Backup support?

OpenClaw Backup is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).

Who created OpenClaw Backup?

It is built and maintained by Don Zurbrick (@zurbrick); the current version is v1.1.0.

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