diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
index 34992fc7a0e..253888ad7dc 100644
--- a/.github/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/.github/CODEOWNERS
@@ -1,6 +1,51 @@
 # Protect the ownership rules themselves.
 /.github/CODEOWNERS @steipete
 
+# WARNING: GitHub CODEOWNERS uses last-match-wins semantics.
+# If you add overlapping rules below the secops block, include @openclaw/secops
+# on those entries too or you can silently remove required secops review.
+# Security-sensitive code, config, and docs require secops review.
+/SECURITY.md @openclaw/secops
+/.github/dependabot.yml @openclaw/secops
+/.github/codeql/ @openclaw/secops
+/.github/workflows/codeql.yml @openclaw/secops
+/src/security/ @openclaw/secops
+/src/secrets/ @openclaw/secops
+/src/config/*secret*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/config/**/*secret*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/gateway/*auth*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/gateway/**/*auth*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/gateway/*secret*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/gateway/**/*secret*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/gateway/security-path*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/gateway/resolve-configured-secret-input-string*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/gateway/protocol/**/*secret*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/gateway/server-methods/secrets*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/agents/*auth*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/agents/**/*auth*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/agents/auth-profiles*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/agents/auth-health*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/agents/auth-profiles/ @openclaw/secops
+/src/agents/sandbox.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/agents/sandbox-*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/agents/sandbox/ @openclaw/secops
+/src/infra/secret-file*.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/cron/stagger.ts @openclaw/secops
+/src/cron/service/jobs.ts @openclaw/secops
+/docs/security/ @openclaw/secops
+/docs/gateway/authentication.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/gateway/sandbox-vs-tool-policy-vs-elevated.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/gateway/sandboxing.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/gateway/secrets-plan-contract.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/gateway/secrets.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/gateway/security/ @openclaw/secops
+/docs/cli/approvals.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/cli/sandbox.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/cli/security.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/cli/secrets.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/reference/secretref-credential-surface.md @openclaw/secops
+/docs/reference/secretref-user-supplied-credentials-matrix.json @openclaw/secops
+
 # Release workflow and its supporting release-path checks.
 /.github/workflows/openclaw-npm-release.yml @openclaw/openclaw-release-managers
 /docs/reference/RELEASING.md @openclaw/openclaw-release-managers
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 0b1e17c8b3e..245eedf3d4b 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 - PR review conversations: if a bot leaves review conversations on your PR, address them and resolve those conversations yourself once fixed. Leave a conversation unresolved only when reviewer or maintainer judgment is still needed; do not leave bot-conversation cleanup to maintainers.
 - GitHub searching footgun: don't limit yourself to the first 500 issues or PRs when wanting to search all. Unless you're supposed to look at the most recent, keep going until you've reached the last page in the search
 - Security advisory analysis: before triage/severity decisions, read `SECURITY.md` to align with OpenClaw's trust model and design boundaries.
+- Do not edit files covered by security-focused `CODEOWNERS` rules unless a listed owner explicitly asked for the change or is already reviewing it with you. Treat those paths as restricted surfaces, not drive-by cleanup.
 
 ## Auto-close labels (issues and PRs)
 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 0febbf5ec89..4184a550691 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ Welcome to the lobster tank! 🦞
 - Reply to or resolve bot review conversations you addressed before asking for review again
 - **Include screenshots** — one showing the problem/before, one showing the fix/after (for UI or visual changes)
 - Use American English spelling and grammar in code, comments, docs, and UI strings
+- Do not edit files covered by `CODEOWNERS` security ownership unless a listed owner explicitly asked for the change or is already reviewing it with you. Treat those paths as restricted review surfaces, not opportunistic cleanup targets.
 
 ## Review Conversations Are Author-Owned