Students, faculty and staff are advised to not use a powerful artificial intelligence tool called OpenClaw on university devices or accounts, citing what it says are significant cybersecurity and data‑privacy risks.

OpenClaw is not approved for use on CSU Pueblo‑owned or CSU Pueblo‑managed devices and should not be used to access, process or store university‑related information. This tool is an open‑source AI agent that installs directly on a computer and operates at the operating system level. Unlike browser‑based AI tools that respond only to typed prompts, OpenClaw can act autonomously in the background. According to the Division of IT, it can read and modify files, send emails, run system commands and take other actions even when a user is not actively at the computer.

Individuals who have never installed OpenClaw do not need to take any action. Those who have installed OpenClaw on a CSU Pueblo‑managed device or connected it to a CSU account are instructed to revoke any permissions the software has to university services such as Microsoft 365, Canvas or OneDrive. It is also recommended to uninstall the software and review email sent folders, cloud storage activity and calendar entries for any unexpected actions that may have occurred while the tool was active.

Researchers who believe OpenClaw is necessary for their work may request an exception. The process requires submitting a cybersecurity exception request through the IT Help Desk portal and detailing the research purpose, the sensitivity level of the data involved, proposed safeguards and how long the tool would be used.

Questions or requests for help can be directed to the CSU Pueblo IT Help Desk  or by phone at 719-549-2002.