diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3bb1b36ca..a33b77ba9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ## 2026.1.14 (unreleased)
 
 ### Changes
-- Security: add `clawdbot security audit` (`--deep`) and surface it in `status --all` and `doctor`.
+- Security: add `clawdbot security audit` (`--deep`, `--fix`) and surface it in `status --all` and `doctor`.
 - Onboarding: add a security checkpoint prompt (docs link + sandboxing hint); require `--accept-risk` for `--non-interactive`.
 - Docs: expand gateway security hardening guidance and incident response checklist.
 - Docs: document DM history limits for channel DMs. (#883) — thanks @pkrmf.
diff --git a/docs/cli/index.md b/docs/cli/index.md
index 2f587e4f9..a39f1a4bf 100644
--- a/docs/cli/index.md
+++ b/docs/cli/index.md
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ clawdbot [--dev] [--profile <name>] <command>
   onboard
   configure (alias: config)
   doctor
+  security
+    audit
   reset
   uninstall
   update
@@ -180,6 +182,12 @@ clawdbot [--dev] [--profile <name>] <command>
 
 Note: plugins can add additional top-level commands (for example `clawdbot voicecall`).
 
+## Security
+
+- `clawdbot security audit` — audit config + local state for common security foot-guns.
+- `clawdbot security audit --deep` — best-effort live Gateway probe.
+- `clawdbot security audit --fix` — tighten safe defaults and chmod state/config.
+
 ## Plugins
 
 Manage extensions and their config:
diff --git a/src/cli/security-cli.ts b/src/cli/security-cli.ts
index e8f686b3d..95d10360d 100644
--- a/src/cli/security-cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli/security-cli.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ import type { Command } from "commander";
 import { loadConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import { defaultRuntime } from "../runtime.js";
 import { runSecurityAudit } from "../security/audit.js";
+import { fixSecurityFootguns } from "../security/fix.js";
 import { isRich, theme } from "../terminal/theme.js";
 
 type SecurityAuditOptions = {
   json?: boolean;
   deep?: boolean;
+  fix?: boolean;
 };
 
 function formatSummary(summary: { critical: number; warn: number; info: number }): string {
@@ -30,8 +32,11 @@ export function registerSecurityCli(program: Command) {
     .command("audit")
     .description("Audit config + local state for common security foot-guns")
     .option("--deep", "Attempt live Gateway probe (best-effort)", false)
+    .option("--fix", "Apply safe fixes (tighten defaults + chmod state/config)", false)
     .option("--json", "Print JSON", false)
     .action(async (opts: SecurityAuditOptions) => {
+      const fixResult = opts.fix ? await fixSecurityFootguns().catch((_err) => null) : null;
+
       const cfg = loadConfig();
       const report = await runSecurityAudit({
         config: cfg,
@@ -41,7 +46,9 @@ export function registerSecurityCli(program: Command) {
       });
 
       if (opts.json) {
-        defaultRuntime.log(JSON.stringify(report, null, 2));
+        defaultRuntime.log(
+          JSON.stringify(fixResult ? { fix: fixResult, report } : report, null, 2),
+        );
         return;
       }
 
@@ -54,6 +61,34 @@ export function registerSecurityCli(program: Command) {
       lines.push(muted(`Summary: ${formatSummary(report.summary)}`));
       lines.push(muted(`Run deeper: clawdbot security audit --deep`));
 
+      if (opts.fix) {
+        lines.push(muted(`Fix: clawdbot security audit --fix`));
+        if (!fixResult) {
+          lines.push(muted("Fixes: failed to apply (unexpected error)"));
+        } else if (
+          fixResult.errors.length === 0 &&
+          fixResult.changes.length === 0 &&
+          fixResult.actions.every((a) => a.ok === false)
+        ) {
+          lines.push(muted("Fixes: no changes applied"));
+        } else {
+          lines.push("");
+          lines.push(heading("FIX"));
+          for (const change of fixResult.changes) {
+            lines.push(muted(`  ${change}`));
+          }
+          for (const action of fixResult.actions) {
+            const mode = action.mode.toString(8).padStart(3, "0");
+            if (action.ok) lines.push(muted(`  chmod ${mode} ${action.path}`));
+            else if (action.skipped) lines.push(muted(`  skip chmod ${mode} ${action.path} (${action.skipped})`));
+            else if (action.error) lines.push(muted(`  chmod ${mode} ${action.path} failed: ${action.error}`));
+          }
+          if (fixResult.errors.length > 0) {
+            for (const err of fixResult.errors) lines.push(muted(`  error: ${err}`));
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
       const bySeverity = (sev: "critical" | "warn" | "info") =>
         report.findings.filter((f) => f.severity === sev);
 
diff --git a/src/security/audit.ts b/src/security/audit.ts
index 589b4e113..54f1ce38f 100644
--- a/src/security/audit.ts
+++ b/src/security/audit.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,10 @@ import { listChannelPlugins } from "../channels/plugins/index.js";
 import { resolveChannelDefaultAccountId } from "../channels/plugins/helpers.js";
 import type { ChannelId } from "../channels/plugins/types.js";
 import type { ClawdbotConfig } from "../config/config.js";
-import { CONFIG_PATH_CLAWDBOT } from "../config/config.js";
+import { resolveConfigPath, resolveStateDir } from "../config/paths.js";
 import { resolveGatewayAuth } from "../gateway/auth.js";
 import { buildGatewayConnectionDetails } from "../gateway/call.js";
 import { probeGateway } from "../gateway/probe.js";
-import { CONFIG_DIR } from "../utils.js";
 
 export type SecurityAuditSeverity = "info" | "warn" | "critical";
 
@@ -497,8 +496,8 @@ async function maybeProbeGateway(params: {
 export async function runSecurityAudit(opts: SecurityAuditOptions): Promise<SecurityAuditReport> {
   const findings: SecurityAuditFinding[] = [];
   const cfg = opts.config;
-  const stateDir = opts.stateDir ?? CONFIG_DIR;
-  const configPath = opts.configPath ?? CONFIG_PATH_CLAWDBOT;
+  const stateDir = opts.stateDir ?? resolveStateDir();
+  const configPath = opts.configPath ?? resolveConfigPath();
 
   findings.push(...collectGatewayConfigFindings(cfg));
   findings.push(...collectLoggingFindings(cfg));
diff --git a/src/security/fix.test.ts b/src/security/fix.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c9588ba3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/security/fix.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,200 @@
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { fixSecurityFootguns } from "./fix.js";
+
+describe("security fix", () => {
+  it("tightens groupPolicy + filesystem perms", async () => {
+    const tmp = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "clawdbot-security-fix-"));
+    const stateDir = path.join(tmp, "state");
+    await fs.mkdir(stateDir, { recursive: true });
+    await fs.chmod(stateDir, 0o755);
+
+    const configPath = path.join(stateDir, "clawdbot.json");
+    await fs.writeFile(
+      configPath,
+      `${JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          channels: {
+            telegram: { groupPolicy: "open" },
+            whatsapp: { groupPolicy: "open" },
+            discord: { groupPolicy: "open" },
+            signal: { groupPolicy: "open" },
+            imessage: { groupPolicy: "open" },
+          },
+          logging: { redactSensitive: "off" },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      )}\n`,
+      "utf-8",
+    );
+    await fs.chmod(configPath, 0o644);
+
+    const credsDir = path.join(stateDir, "credentials");
+    await fs.mkdir(credsDir, { recursive: true });
+    await fs.writeFile(
+      path.join(credsDir, "whatsapp-allowFrom.json"),
+      `${JSON.stringify({ version: 1, allowFrom: [" +15551234567 "] }, null, 2)}\n`,
+      "utf-8",
+    );
+
+    const env = {
+      ...process.env,
+      CLAWDBOT_STATE_DIR: stateDir,
+      CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH: "",
+    };
+
+    const res = await fixSecurityFootguns({ env });
+    expect(res.ok).toBe(true);
+    expect(res.configWritten).toBe(true);
+    expect(res.changes).toEqual(
+      expect.arrayContaining([
+        "channels.telegram.groupPolicy=open -> allowlist",
+        "channels.whatsapp.groupPolicy=open -> allowlist",
+        "channels.discord.groupPolicy=open -> allowlist",
+        "channels.signal.groupPolicy=open -> allowlist",
+        "channels.imessage.groupPolicy=open -> allowlist",
+        'logging.redactSensitive=off -> "tools"',
+      ]),
+    );
+
+    const stateMode = (await fs.stat(stateDir)).mode & 0o777;
+    expect(stateMode).toBe(0o700);
+
+    const configMode = (await fs.stat(configPath)).mode & 0o777;
+    expect(configMode).toBe(0o600);
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(configPath, "utf-8")) as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const channels = parsed.channels as Record<string, Record<string, unknown>>;
+    expect(channels.telegram.groupPolicy).toBe("allowlist");
+    expect(channels.whatsapp.groupPolicy).toBe("allowlist");
+    expect(channels.discord.groupPolicy).toBe("allowlist");
+    expect(channels.signal.groupPolicy).toBe("allowlist");
+    expect(channels.imessage.groupPolicy).toBe("allowlist");
+
+    expect(channels.whatsapp.groupAllowFrom).toEqual(["+15551234567"]);
+  });
+
+  it("applies allowlist per-account and seeds WhatsApp groupAllowFrom from store", async () => {
+    const tmp = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "clawdbot-security-fix-"));
+    const stateDir = path.join(tmp, "state");
+    await fs.mkdir(stateDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    const configPath = path.join(stateDir, "clawdbot.json");
+    await fs.writeFile(
+      configPath,
+      `${JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          channels: {
+            whatsapp: {
+              accounts: {
+                a1: { groupPolicy: "open" },
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      )}\n`,
+      "utf-8",
+    );
+
+    const credsDir = path.join(stateDir, "credentials");
+    await fs.mkdir(credsDir, { recursive: true });
+    await fs.writeFile(
+      path.join(credsDir, "whatsapp-allowFrom.json"),
+      `${JSON.stringify({ version: 1, allowFrom: ["+15550001111"] }, null, 2)}\n`,
+      "utf-8",
+    );
+
+    const env = {
+      ...process.env,
+      CLAWDBOT_STATE_DIR: stateDir,
+      CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH: "",
+    };
+
+    const res = await fixSecurityFootguns({ env });
+    expect(res.ok).toBe(true);
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(configPath, "utf-8")) as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const channels = parsed.channels as Record<string, Record<string, unknown>>;
+    const whatsapp = channels.whatsapp as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const accounts = whatsapp.accounts as Record<string, Record<string, unknown>>;
+
+    expect(accounts.a1.groupPolicy).toBe("allowlist");
+    expect(accounts.a1.groupAllowFrom).toEqual(["+15550001111"]);
+  });
+
+  it("does not seed WhatsApp groupAllowFrom if allowFrom is set", async () => {
+    const tmp = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "clawdbot-security-fix-"));
+    const stateDir = path.join(tmp, "state");
+    await fs.mkdir(stateDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    const configPath = path.join(stateDir, "clawdbot.json");
+    await fs.writeFile(
+      configPath,
+      `${JSON.stringify(
+        {
+          channels: {
+            whatsapp: { groupPolicy: "open", allowFrom: ["+15552223333"] },
+          },
+        },
+        null,
+        2,
+      )}\n`,
+      "utf-8",
+    );
+
+    const credsDir = path.join(stateDir, "credentials");
+    await fs.mkdir(credsDir, { recursive: true });
+    await fs.writeFile(
+      path.join(credsDir, "whatsapp-allowFrom.json"),
+      `${JSON.stringify({ version: 1, allowFrom: ["+15550001111"] }, null, 2)}\n`,
+      "utf-8",
+    );
+
+    const env = {
+      ...process.env,
+      CLAWDBOT_STATE_DIR: stateDir,
+      CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH: "",
+    };
+
+    const res = await fixSecurityFootguns({ env });
+    expect(res.ok).toBe(true);
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(configPath, "utf-8")) as Record<string, unknown>;
+    const channels = parsed.channels as Record<string, Record<string, unknown>>;
+    expect(channels.whatsapp.groupPolicy).toBe("allowlist");
+    expect(channels.whatsapp.groupAllowFrom).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("returns ok=false for invalid config but still tightens perms", async () => {
+    const tmp = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "clawdbot-security-fix-"));
+    const stateDir = path.join(tmp, "state");
+    await fs.mkdir(stateDir, { recursive: true });
+    await fs.chmod(stateDir, 0o755);
+
+    const configPath = path.join(stateDir, "clawdbot.json");
+    await fs.writeFile(configPath, "{ this is not json }\n", "utf-8");
+    await fs.chmod(configPath, 0o644);
+
+    const env = {
+      ...process.env,
+      CLAWDBOT_STATE_DIR: stateDir,
+      CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH: "",
+    };
+
+    const res = await fixSecurityFootguns({ env });
+    expect(res.ok).toBe(false);
+
+    const stateMode = (await fs.stat(stateDir)).mode & 0o777;
+    expect(stateMode).toBe(0o700);
+
+    const configMode = (await fs.stat(configPath)).mode & 0o777;
+    expect(configMode).toBe(0o600);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/security/fix.ts b/src/security/fix.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..297e2594d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/security/fix.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,235 @@
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+
+import type { ClawdbotConfig } from "../config/config.js";
+import { createConfigIO } from "../config/config.js";
+import { resolveConfigPath, resolveStateDir } from "../config/paths.js";
+import { readChannelAllowFromStore } from "../pairing/pairing-store.js";
+
+export type SecurityFixChmodAction = {
+  kind: "chmod";
+  path: string;
+  mode: number;
+  ok: boolean;
+  skipped?: string;
+  error?: string;
+};
+
+export type SecurityFixResult = {
+  ok: boolean;
+  stateDir: string;
+  configPath: string;
+  configWritten: boolean;
+  changes: string[];
+  actions: SecurityFixChmodAction[];
+  errors: string[];
+};
+
+async function safeChmod(params: {
+  path: string;
+  mode: number;
+  require: "dir" | "file";
+}): Promise<SecurityFixChmodAction> {
+  try {
+    const st = await fs.lstat(params.path);
+    if (st.isSymbolicLink()) {
+      return {
+        kind: "chmod",
+        path: params.path,
+        mode: params.mode,
+        ok: false,
+        skipped: "symlink",
+      };
+    }
+    if (params.require === "dir" && !st.isDirectory()) {
+      return {
+        kind: "chmod",
+        path: params.path,
+        mode: params.mode,
+        ok: false,
+        skipped: "not-a-directory",
+      };
+    }
+    if (params.require === "file" && !st.isFile()) {
+      return {
+        kind: "chmod",
+        path: params.path,
+        mode: params.mode,
+        ok: false,
+        skipped: "not-a-file",
+      };
+    }
+    const current = st.mode & 0o777;
+    if (current === params.mode) {
+      return {
+        kind: "chmod",
+        path: params.path,
+        mode: params.mode,
+        ok: false,
+        skipped: "already",
+      };
+    }
+    await fs.chmod(params.path, params.mode);
+    return { kind: "chmod", path: params.path, mode: params.mode, ok: true };
+  } catch (err) {
+    const code = (err as { code?: string }).code;
+    if (code === "ENOENT") {
+      return {
+        kind: "chmod",
+        path: params.path,
+        mode: params.mode,
+        ok: false,
+        skipped: "missing",
+      };
+    }
+    return {
+      kind: "chmod",
+      path: params.path,
+      mode: params.mode,
+      ok: false,
+      error: String(err),
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+function setGroupPolicyAllowlist(params: {
+  cfg: ClawdbotConfig;
+  channel: string;
+  changes: string[];
+  policyFlips: Set<string>;
+}): void {
+  if (!params.cfg.channels) return;
+  const section = params.cfg.channels[params.channel as keyof ClawdbotConfig["channels"]] as
+    | Record<string, unknown>
+    | undefined;
+  if (!section || typeof section !== "object") return;
+
+  const topPolicy = section.groupPolicy;
+  if (topPolicy === "open") {
+    section.groupPolicy = "allowlist";
+    params.changes.push(`channels.${params.channel}.groupPolicy=open -> allowlist`);
+    params.policyFlips.add(`channels.${params.channel}.`);
+  }
+
+  const accounts = section.accounts;
+  if (!accounts || typeof accounts !== "object") return;
+  for (const [accountId, accountValue] of Object.entries(accounts)) {
+    if (!accountId) continue;
+    if (!accountValue || typeof accountValue !== "object") continue;
+    const account = accountValue as Record<string, unknown>;
+    if (account.groupPolicy === "open") {
+      account.groupPolicy = "allowlist";
+      params.changes.push(
+        `channels.${params.channel}.accounts.${accountId}.groupPolicy=open -> allowlist`,
+      );
+      params.policyFlips.add(`channels.${params.channel}.accounts.${accountId}.`);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function setWhatsAppGroupAllowFromFromStore(params: {
+  cfg: ClawdbotConfig;
+  storeAllowFrom: string[];
+  changes: string[];
+  policyFlips: Set<string>;
+}): void {
+  const section = params.cfg.channels?.whatsapp as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+  if (!section || typeof section !== "object") return;
+  if (params.storeAllowFrom.length === 0) return;
+
+  const maybeApply = (prefix: string, obj: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+    if (!params.policyFlips.has(prefix)) return;
+    const allowFrom = Array.isArray(obj.allowFrom) ? obj.allowFrom : [];
+    const groupAllowFrom = Array.isArray(obj.groupAllowFrom) ? obj.groupAllowFrom : [];
+    if (allowFrom.length > 0) return;
+    if (groupAllowFrom.length > 0) return;
+    obj.groupAllowFrom = params.storeAllowFrom;
+    params.changes.push(`${prefix}groupAllowFrom=pairing-store`);
+  };
+
+  maybeApply("channels.whatsapp.", section);
+
+  const accounts = section.accounts;
+  if (!accounts || typeof accounts !== "object") return;
+  for (const [accountId, accountValue] of Object.entries(accounts)) {
+    if (!accountValue || typeof accountValue !== "object") continue;
+    const account = accountValue as Record<string, unknown>;
+    maybeApply(`channels.whatsapp.accounts.${accountId}.`, account);
+  }
+}
+
+function applyConfigFixes(params: {
+  cfg: ClawdbotConfig;
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
+}): { cfg: ClawdbotConfig; changes: string[]; policyFlips: Set<string> } {
+  const next = structuredClone(params.cfg ?? {});
+  const changes: string[] = [];
+  const policyFlips = new Set<string>();
+
+  if (next.logging?.redactSensitive === "off") {
+    next.logging = { ...next.logging, redactSensitive: "tools" };
+    changes.push('logging.redactSensitive=off -> "tools"');
+  }
+
+  for (const channel of ["telegram", "whatsapp", "discord", "signal", "imessage", "slack", "msteams"]) {
+    setGroupPolicyAllowlist({ cfg: next, channel, changes, policyFlips });
+  }
+
+  return { cfg: next, changes, policyFlips };
+}
+
+export async function fixSecurityFootguns(opts?: {
+  env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
+  stateDir?: string;
+  configPath?: string;
+}): Promise<SecurityFixResult> {
+  const env = opts?.env ?? process.env;
+  const stateDir = opts?.stateDir ?? resolveStateDir(env);
+  const configPath = opts?.configPath ?? resolveConfigPath(env, stateDir);
+  const actions: SecurityFixChmodAction[] = [];
+  const errors: string[] = [];
+
+  const io = createConfigIO({ env, configPath });
+  const snap = await io.readConfigFileSnapshot();
+  if (!snap.valid) {
+    errors.push(...snap.issues.map((i) => `${i.path}: ${i.message}`));
+  }
+
+  let configWritten = false;
+  let changes: string[] = [];
+  if (snap.valid) {
+    const fixed = applyConfigFixes({ cfg: snap.config, env });
+    changes = fixed.changes;
+
+    const whatsappStoreAllowFrom = await readChannelAllowFromStore("whatsapp", env).catch(() => []);
+    if (whatsappStoreAllowFrom.length > 0) {
+      setWhatsAppGroupAllowFromFromStore({
+        cfg: fixed.cfg,
+        storeAllowFrom: whatsappStoreAllowFrom,
+        changes,
+        policyFlips: fixed.policyFlips,
+      });
+    }
+
+    if (changes.length > 0) {
+      try {
+        await io.writeConfigFile(fixed.cfg);
+        configWritten = true;
+      } catch (err) {
+        errors.push(`writeConfigFile failed: ${String(err)}`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  actions.push(await safeChmod({ path: stateDir, mode: 0o700, require: "dir" }));
+  actions.push(await safeChmod({ path: configPath, mode: 0o600, require: "file" }));
+
+  return {
+    ok: errors.length === 0,
+    stateDir,
+    configPath,
+    configWritten,
+    changes,
+    actions,
+    errors,
+  };
+}