fix(sandbox): require noVNC observer password auth

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Security/Dependencies: bump transitive `hono` usage to `4.11.10` to incorporate timing-safe authentication comparison hardening for `basicAuth`/`bearerAuth` (`GHSA-gq3j-xvxp-8hrf`). Thanks @vincentkoc.
 - Security/Gateway: parse `X-Forwarded-For` with trust-preserving semantics when requests come from configured trusted proxies, preventing proxy-chain spoofing from influencing client IP classification and rate-limit identity. Thanks @AnthonyDiSanti and @vincentkoc.
 - Security/Sandbox: remove default `--no-sandbox` for the browser container entrypoint, add explicit opt-in via `OPENCLAW_BROWSER_NO_SANDBOX` / `CLAWDBOT_BROWSER_NO_SANDBOX`, and add security-audit checks for stale/missing sandbox browser Docker hash labels. This ships in the next npm release. Thanks @TerminalsandCoffee and @vincentkoc.
+- Security/Sandbox Browser: require VNC password auth for noVNC observer sessions in the sandbox browser entrypoint, plumb per-container noVNC passwords from runtime, and emit password-bearing auto-connect observer URLs while keeping loopback-only host port publishing. This ships in the next npm release. Thanks @TerminalsandCoffee for reporting.
 - Auto-reply/Tools: forward `senderIsOwner` through embedded queued/followup runner params so owner-only tools remain available for authorized senders. (#22296) thanks @hcoj.
 - Discord: restore model picker back navigation when a provider is missing and document the Discord picker flow. (#21458) Thanks @pejmanjohn and @thewilloftheshadow.
 - Memory/QMD: respect per-agent `memorySearch.enabled=false` during gateway QMD startup initialization, split multi-collection QMD searches into per-collection queries (`search`/`vsearch`/`query`) to avoid sparse-term drops, prefer collection-hinted doc resolution to avoid stale-hash collisions, retry boot updates on transient lock/timeout failures, skip `qmd embed` in BM25-only `search` mode (including `memory index --force`), and serialize embed runs globally with failure backoff to prevent CPU storms on multi-agent hosts. (#20581, #21590, #20513, #20001, #21266, #21583, #20346, #19493) Thanks @danielrevivo, @zanderkrause, @sunyan034-cmd, @tilleulenspiegel, @dae-oss, @adamlongcreativellc, @jonathanadams96, and @kiliansitel.

docs/gateway/configuration-reference.md

@@ -992,6 +992,7 @@ Optional **Docker sandboxing** for the embedded agent. See [Sandboxing](/gateway
 **`docker.binds`** mounts additional host directories; global and per-agent binds are merged.
 
 **Sandboxed browser** (`sandbox.browser.enabled`): Chromium + CDP in a container. noVNC URL injected into system prompt. Does not require `browser.enabled` in main config.
+noVNC observer access uses VNC auth by default and the generated URL includes the password query parameter automatically.
 
 - `allowHostControl: false` (default) blocks sandboxed sessions from targeting the host browser.
 - `sandbox.browser.binds` mounts additional host directories into the sandbox browser container only. When set (including `[]`), it replaces `docker.binds` for the browser container.

docs/gateway/sandboxing.md

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ and process access when the model does something dumb.
 - Optional sandboxed browser (`agents.defaults.sandbox.browser`).
   - By default, the sandbox browser auto-starts (ensures CDP is reachable) when the browser tool needs it.
     Configure via `agents.defaults.sandbox.browser.autoStart` and `agents.defaults.sandbox.browser.autoStartTimeoutMs`.
+  - noVNC observer access is password-protected by default; OpenClaw emits an auto-connect URL with password query parameter.
   - `agents.defaults.sandbox.browser.allowHostControl` lets sandboxed sessions target the host browser explicitly.
   - Optional allowlists gate `target: "custom"`: `allowedControlUrls`, `allowedControlHosts`, `allowedControlPorts`.
 

docs/install/docker.md

@@ -495,6 +495,7 @@ Notes:
 - Headful (Xvfb) reduces bot blocking vs headless.
 - Headless can still be used by setting `agents.defaults.sandbox.browser.headless=true`.
 - No full desktop environment (GNOME) is needed; Xvfb provides the display.
+- noVNC observer access is password-protected by default; OpenClaw provides an auto-connect URL with the password query parameter.
 
 Use config:
 

scripts/sandbox-browser-entrypoint.sh

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ NOVNC_PORT="${OPENCLAW_BROWSER_NOVNC_PORT:-${CLAWDBOT_BROWSER_NOVNC_PORT:-6080}}
 ENABLE_NOVNC="${OPENCLAW_BROWSER_ENABLE_NOVNC:-${CLAWDBOT_BROWSER_ENABLE_NOVNC:-1}}"
 HEADLESS="${OPENCLAW_BROWSER_HEADLESS:-${CLAWDBOT_BROWSER_HEADLESS:-0}}"
 ALLOW_NO_SANDBOX="${OPENCLAW_BROWSER_NO_SANDBOX:-${CLAWDBOT_BROWSER_NO_SANDBOX:-0}}"
+NOVNC_PASSWORD="${OPENCLAW_BROWSER_NOVNC_PASSWORD:-${CLAWDBOT_BROWSER_NOVNC_PASSWORD:-}}"
 
 mkdir -p "${HOME}" "${HOME}/.chrome" "${XDG_CONFIG_HOME}" "${XDG_CACHE_HOME}"
 
@@ -67,7 +68,17 @@ socat \
   TCP:127.0.0.1:"${CHROME_CDP_PORT}" &
 
 if [[ "${ENABLE_NOVNC}" == "1" && "${HEADLESS}" != "1" ]]; then
-  x11vnc -display :1 -rfbport "${VNC_PORT}" -shared -forever -nopw -localhost &
+  # VNC auth passwords are max 8 chars; use a random default when not provided.
+  if [[ -z "${NOVNC_PASSWORD}" ]]; then
+    NOVNC_PASSWORD="$(< /proc/sys/kernel/random/uuid)"
+    NOVNC_PASSWORD="${NOVNC_PASSWORD//-/}"
+    NOVNC_PASSWORD="${NOVNC_PASSWORD:0:8}"
+  fi
+  NOVNC_PASSWD_FILE="${HOME}/.vnc/passwd"
+  mkdir -p "${HOME}/.vnc"
+  x11vnc -storepasswd "${NOVNC_PASSWORD}" "${NOVNC_PASSWD_FILE}" >/dev/null
+  chmod 600 "${NOVNC_PASSWD_FILE}"
+  x11vnc -display :1 -rfbport "${VNC_PORT}" -shared -forever -rfbauth "${NOVNC_PASSWD_FILE}" -localhost &
   websockify --web /usr/share/novnc/ "${NOVNC_PORT}" "localhost:${VNC_PORT}" &
 fi
 

src/agents/sandbox/browser.novnc-url.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { buildNoVncObserverUrl } from "./browser.js";
+
+describe("buildNoVncObserverUrl", () => {
+  it("builds the default observer URL without password", () => {
+    expect(buildNoVncObserverUrl(45678)).toBe(
+      "http://127.0.0.1:45678/vnc.html?autoconnect=1&resize=remote",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("adds an encoded password query parameter when provided", () => {
+    expect(buildNoVncObserverUrl(45678, "a+b c&d")).toBe(
+      "http://127.0.0.1:45678/vnc.html?autoconnect=1&resize=remote&password=a%2Bb+c%26d",
+    );
+  });
+});

src/agents/sandbox/browser.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
   buildSandboxCreateArgs,
   dockerContainerState,
   execDocker,
+  readDockerContainerEnvVar,
   readDockerContainerLabel,
   readDockerPort,
 } from "./docker.js";
@@ -28,6 +29,23 @@ import { isToolAllowed } from "./tool-policy.js";
 import type { SandboxBrowserContext, SandboxConfig } from "./types.js";
 
 const HOT_BROWSER_WINDOW_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
+const NOVNC_PASSWORD_ENV_KEY = "OPENCLAW_BROWSER_NOVNC_PASSWORD";
+
+function generateNoVncPassword() {
+  // VNC auth uses an 8-char password max.
+  return crypto.randomBytes(4).toString("hex");
+}
+
+export function buildNoVncObserverUrl(port: number, password?: string) {
+  const query = new URLSearchParams({
+    autoconnect: "1",
+    resize: "remote",
+  });
+  if (password?.trim()) {
+    query.set("password", password);
+  }
+  return `http://127.0.0.1:${port}/vnc.html?${query.toString()}`;
+}
 
 async function waitForSandboxCdp(params: { cdpPort: number; timeoutMs: number }): Promise<boolean> {
   const deadline = Date.now() + Math.max(0, params.timeoutMs);
@@ -140,8 +158,14 @@ export async function ensureSandboxBrowser(params: {
   let running = state.running;
   let currentHash: string | null = null;
   let hashMismatch = false;
+  const noVncEnabled = params.cfg.browser.enableNoVnc && !params.cfg.browser.headless;
+  let noVncPassword: string | undefined;
 
   if (hasContainer) {
+    if (noVncEnabled) {
+      noVncPassword =
+        (await readDockerContainerEnvVar(containerName, NOVNC_PASSWORD_ENV_KEY)) ?? undefined;
+    }
     const registry = await readBrowserRegistry();
     const registryEntry = registry.entries.find((entry) => entry.containerName === containerName);
     currentHash = await readDockerContainerLabel(containerName, "openclaw.configHash");
@@ -177,6 +201,9 @@ export async function ensureSandboxBrowser(params: {
   }
 
   if (!hasContainer) {
+    if (noVncEnabled) {
+      noVncPassword = generateNoVncPassword();
+    }
     await ensureSandboxBrowserImage(browserImage);
     const args = buildSandboxCreateArgs({
       name: containerName,
@@ -201,7 +228,7 @@ export async function ensureSandboxBrowser(params: {
       );
     }
     args.push("-p", `127.0.0.1::${params.cfg.browser.cdpPort}`);
-    if (params.cfg.browser.enableNoVnc && !params.cfg.browser.headless) {
+    if (noVncEnabled) {
       args.push("-p", `127.0.0.1::${params.cfg.browser.noVncPort}`);
     }
     args.push("-e", `OPENCLAW_BROWSER_HEADLESS=${params.cfg.browser.headless ? "1" : "0"}`);
@@ -209,6 +236,9 @@ export async function ensureSandboxBrowser(params: {
     args.push("-e", `OPENCLAW_BROWSER_CDP_PORT=${params.cfg.browser.cdpPort}`);
     args.push("-e", `OPENCLAW_BROWSER_VNC_PORT=${params.cfg.browser.vncPort}`);
     args.push("-e", `OPENCLAW_BROWSER_NOVNC_PORT=${params.cfg.browser.noVncPort}`);
+    if (noVncEnabled && noVncPassword) {
+      args.push("-e", `${NOVNC_PASSWORD_ENV_KEY}=${noVncPassword}`);
+    }
     args.push(browserImage);
     await execDocker(args);
     await execDocker(["start", containerName]);
@@ -221,10 +251,13 @@ export async function ensureSandboxBrowser(params: {
     throw new Error(`Failed to resolve CDP port mapping for ${containerName}.`);
   }
 
-  const mappedNoVnc =
-    params.cfg.browser.enableNoVnc && !params.cfg.browser.headless
-      ? await readDockerPort(containerName, params.cfg.browser.noVncPort)
-      : null;
+  const mappedNoVnc = noVncEnabled
+    ? await readDockerPort(containerName, params.cfg.browser.noVncPort)
+    : null;
+  if (noVncEnabled && !noVncPassword) {
+    noVncPassword =
+      (await readDockerContainerEnvVar(containerName, NOVNC_PASSWORD_ENV_KEY)) ?? undefined;
+  }
 
   const existing = BROWSER_BRIDGES.get(params.scopeKey);
   const existingProfile = existing
@@ -323,9 +356,7 @@ export async function ensureSandboxBrowser(params: {
   });
 
   const noVncUrl =
-    mappedNoVnc && params.cfg.browser.enableNoVnc && !params.cfg.browser.headless
-      ? `http://127.0.0.1:${mappedNoVnc}/vnc.html?autoconnect=1&resize=remote`
-      : undefined;
+    mappedNoVnc && noVncEnabled ? buildNoVncObserverUrl(mappedNoVnc, noVncPassword) : undefined;
 
   return {
     bridgeUrl: resolvedBridge.baseUrl,

src/agents/sandbox/constants.ts

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_TOOL_DENY = [
 
 export const DEFAULT_SANDBOX_BROWSER_IMAGE = "openclaw-sandbox-browser:bookworm-slim";
 export const DEFAULT_SANDBOX_COMMON_IMAGE = "openclaw-sandbox-common:bookworm-slim";
-export const SANDBOX_BROWSER_SECURITY_HASH_EPOCH = "2026-02-21-no-sandbox-default";
+export const SANDBOX_BROWSER_SECURITY_HASH_EPOCH = "2026-02-21-novnc-auth-default";
 
 export const DEFAULT_SANDBOX_BROWSER_PREFIX = "openclaw-sbx-browser-";
 export const DEFAULT_SANDBOX_BROWSER_CDP_PORT = 9222;

src/agents/sandbox/docker.ts

@@ -145,6 +145,25 @@ export async function readDockerContainerLabel(
   return raw;
 }
 
+export async function readDockerContainerEnvVar(
+  containerName: string,
+  envVar: string,
+): Promise<string | null> {
+  const result = await execDocker(
+    ["inspect", "-f", "{{range .Config.Env}}{{println .}}{{end}}", containerName],
+    { allowFailure: true },
+  );
+  if (result.code !== 0) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  for (const line of result.stdout.split(/\r?\n/)) {
+    if (line.startsWith(`${envVar}=`)) {
+      return line.slice(envVar.length + 1);
+    }
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
 export async function readDockerPort(containerName: string, port: number) {
   const result = await execDocker(["port", containerName, `${port}/tcp`], {
     allowFailure: true,