SafeClaw vs Network Firewalls for AI Agent Safety

Network firewalls control which network connections your AI agent can make, but they have zero visibility into file operations, shell commands, or code execution. SafeClaw by Authensor gates every action type — file reads/writes, shell execution, network requests, and code evaluation — through deny-by-default policies. Firewalls protect one dimension; SafeClaw protects all of them.

What Firewalls Control (and Don't)

A firewall can block an agent from reaching evil.com. It cannot prevent the agent from:

• Deleting your source code


• Reading your .env file


• Running rm -rf / in a shell


• Overwriting your package.json with garbage


• Executing arbitrary Python or JavaScript


• Looping infinitely and burning through API credits

Attack Surface Coverage

| Action Type | Network Firewall | SafeClaw |
|---|---|---|
| Network requests (URLs, IPs) | Yes | Yes |
| File reads | No | Yes |
| File writes | No | Yes |
| File deletion | No | Yes |
| Shell command execution | No | Yes |
| Code evaluation | No | Yes |
| Budget/cost enforcement | No | Yes |
| Audit trail | Limited (connection logs) | Full (hash-chained per action) |

SafeClaw Covers Network AND Everything Else

# .safeclaw.yaml
version: "1"
defaultAction: deny

rules:
  # Network controls (what firewalls do)
  - action: network.request
    url: "https://api.github.com/**"
    decision: allow
  - action: network.request
    url: "https://registry.npmjs.org/**"
    decision: allow
  - action: network.request
    decision: deny
    reason: "Only approved endpoints accessible"

# File controls (what firewalls can't do)
  - action: file.read
    path: "./src/**"
    decision: allow
  - action: file.write
    path: "./src/**"
    decision: allow
  - action: file.read
    path: "*/.env"
    decision: deny
    reason: "Secret files blocked"

# Shell controls (what firewalls can't do)
  - action: shell.execute
    command: "npm test"
    decision: allow
  - action: shell.execute
    command: "npm run build"
    decision: allow
  - action: shell.execute
    decision: deny
    reason: "Only approved commands allowed"

One policy file controls every action type. No separate firewall rules, no iptables, no security groups — just a YAML file that covers all dimensions of agent behavior.

When Firewalls Still Matter

Firewalls provide infrastructure-level network security that operates independently of your application. They are valuable as defense in depth. But relying on a firewall alone for AI agent safety is like locking the front door while leaving every window open.

Use firewalls for infrastructure network policy. Use SafeClaw for agent-level action policy.

Quick Start

Add comprehensive action gating in 30 seconds:

npx @authensor/safeclaw

SafeClaw starts with deny-by-default. You explicitly allow what the agent needs — across all action types, not just network.

Why SafeClaw

• 446 tests validating policy evaluation across all action types
• Deny-by-default on every action dimension, not just network
• Sub-millisecond policy evaluation per action
• Hash-chained audit trail logging every decision with context
• Works with Claude AND OpenAI — model-agnostic protection
• MIT licensed — fully open source, zero lock-in

FAQ

Q: Can SafeClaw replace my firewall?
A: SafeClaw controls agent actions at the application layer. Firewalls control network traffic at the infrastructure layer. Use both for defense in depth. SafeClaw's network rules are additional to, not replacements for, infrastructure firewalls.

Q: Do I need both network rules in SafeClaw AND a firewall?
A: If your agent is the only thing running, SafeClaw's network rules may suffice. In shared environments, keep your firewall for infrastructure security and use SafeClaw for agent-specific policy.

Q: Can an agent bypass SafeClaw's network rules?
A: SafeClaw intercepts tool calls before execution. The agent cannot make a network request without going through the policy engine. Unlike firewall rules, SafeClaw policies cannot be bypassed from within the agent.

Related Pages

• SafeClaw vs Docker-Only Sandboxing for AI Agents
• Running AI Agents Without Safety Controls
• Myth: Container Sandboxing Is Enough for AI Agent Safety
• SafeClaw vs Building Custom Safety Middleware