Agent-Vault: Protect API Keys From AI Agents Reading Your Config Files

Key Takeaways

• AI agents read and write .env and config files during setup and deployment tasks, sending any API keys inside them through LLM provider servers without alerting you.
• Install Agent-Vault with npm, then import your .env file — it automatically ignores short values like port numbers that aren't real secrets.
• Agents only ever see placeholder tokens (e.g. {{OPEN_ROUTER_API_KEY}}) when reading files; Agent-Vault transparently swaps in real values only when writing to disk.
• The agent-vault has KEY_NAME command returns true or false, letting agents safely check if a key exists without exposing the actual value.
• Piping or redirecting a secret out of the vault requires an interactive terminal — automated exfiltration via prompt injection is blocked at the system level.

Why This Matters for Agent Users

The risk is invisible. You're not manually typing API keys into a chat window — an agent is reading a .env file on your behalf. That file content goes into the prompt, the prompt goes to the LLM provider, and the provider logs it. Most developers never realize their OpenRouter key, Telegram token, or database credentials have been transmitted in plain text. Channels like Telegram and WhatsApp integrations are especially common leakage points because agents configure them by reading local config files.

Agent-Vault solves this at the interception layer rather than asking you to change your file structure. Your real .env file stays on disk with actual values. The agent-facing view is all placeholders.

Quick Setup

npx agent-vault import .env
agent-vault list
agent-vault has OPEN_ROUTER_API_KEY
agent-vault scan

Only prerequisite is Node.js and npm. Once installed and your .env is imported, point your agent's file-reading calls through Agent-Vault's read command. The scanning feature checks any file for suspected unprotected secrets that may have been missed during import.

Related on OpenClawDatabase

• Security center — cross-platform agent hardening guide
• OpenClaw security hardening — file permissions, allowed tools, prompt injection defense
• Agent security center — iteration limits, skill allowlisting, API-key hygiene