diff --git a/packages/api-server/src/db/schema.ts b/packages/api-server/src/db/schema.ts
index 7359f0f..046c1d6 100644
--- a/packages/api-server/src/db/schema.ts
+++ b/packages/api-server/src/db/schema.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export async function initDatabase(connectionString?: string): Promise<Sql> {
       password_hash TEXT NOT NULL,
       name          TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
       verified      BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT false,
+      role          TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT 'user',
       created_at    TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT NOW(),
       updated_at    TIMESTAMPTZ NOT NULL DEFAULT NOW()
     )
@@ -40,6 +41,15 @@ export async function initDatabase(connectionString?: string): Promise<Sql> {
 
   await sql`CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_owners_email ON owners(email)`;
 
+  // Add role column if it doesn't exist (migration for existing databases)
+  await sql`
+    DO $$ BEGIN
+      ALTER TABLE owners ADD COLUMN role TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT 'user';
+    EXCEPTION WHEN duplicate_column THEN
+      NULL;
+    END $$
+  `;
+
   // Create passports table
   await sql`
     CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS passports (
diff --git a/packages/api-server/src/middleware/auth.ts b/packages/api-server/src/middleware/auth.ts
index 1695a84..3cdeea1 100644
--- a/packages/api-server/src/middleware/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/api-server/src/middleware/auth.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import type { Sql } from "../db/schema.js";
 export interface OwnerPayload extends JWTPayload {
   owner_id: string;
   email: string;
+  role?: string;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ interface ApiKeyRow {
 interface OwnerRow {
   id: string;
   email: string;
+  role: string;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -135,7 +137,7 @@ export async function authenticateApiKey(
 
     // Resolve owner email
     const ownerRows = await db<OwnerRow[]>`
-      SELECT id, email FROM owners WHERE id = ${row.owner_id}
+      SELECT id, email, role FROM owners WHERE id = ${row.owner_id}
     `;
     const owner = ownerRows[0];
     if (!owner) continue;
@@ -146,6 +148,7 @@ export async function authenticateApiKey(
     return {
       owner_id: owner.id,
       email: owner.email,
+      role: owner.role,
     };
   }
 
@@ -201,6 +204,15 @@ export function requireAuth(db?: Sql) {
     // Fall back to JWT verification
     try {
       const payload = await verifyJwt(token);
+      // Resolve role from DB if available
+      if (db) {
+        const ownerRows = await db<OwnerRow[]>`
+          SELECT id, email, role FROM owners WHERE id = ${payload.owner_id}
+        `;
+        if (ownerRows[0]) {
+          payload.role = ownerRows[0].role;
+        }
+      }
       c.set("owner", payload);
       await next();
     } catch {
@@ -211,3 +223,20 @@ export function requireAuth(db?: Sql) {
     }
   };
 }
+
+/**
+ * Hono middleware that requires admin role.
+ * Must be used AFTER requireAuth middleware.
+ */
+export function requireAdmin() {
+  return async (c: Context, next: Next) => {
+    const owner = c.get("owner") as OwnerPayload | undefined;
+    if (!owner || owner.role !== "admin") {
+      return c.json(
+        { error: "Admin access required", code: "FORBIDDEN" },
+        403,
+      );
+    }
+    await next();
+  };
+}
diff --git a/packages/api-server/src/routes/trust.ts b/packages/api-server/src/routes/trust.ts
index aa46438..426151f 100644
--- a/packages/api-server/src/routes/trust.ts
+++ b/packages/api-server/src/routes/trust.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { Hono } from "hono";
 import { z } from "zod";
 import type { Sql } from "../db/schema.js";
 import { zValidator, getValidatedBody } from "../middleware/validation.js";
-import { requireAuth, type OwnerPayload, type AuthVariables } from "../middleware/auth.js";
+import { requireAuth, requireAdmin, type OwnerPayload, type AuthVariables } from "../middleware/auth.js";
 import {
   calculateTrustScore,
   getTrustLevel,
@@ -176,14 +176,19 @@ export function createTrustRouter(db: Sql): Hono<{ Variables: AuthVariables }> {
     });
   });
 
-  // PATCH /passports/:id/trust/verify-owner — set owner_verified flag
-  router.patch("/:id/trust/verify-owner", requireAuth(db), async (c) => {
-    const owner = c.get("owner") as OwnerPayload;
+  // PATCH /passports/:id/trust/verify-owner — set owner_verified flag (admin only)
+  router.patch("/:id/trust/verify-owner", requireAuth(db), requireAdmin(), async (c) => {
     const passportId = c.req.param("id");
 
-    const result = await fetchOwnedPassport(c, passportId, owner);
-    if (result instanceof Response) return result;
-    const row = result;
+    // Admin can verify any passport — look it up without ownership check
+    const rows = await db<PassportRow[]>`
+      SELECT id, owner_email, trust_score, status, metadata, created_at
+      FROM passports WHERE id = ${passportId}
+    `;
+    const row = rows[0];
+    if (!row) {
+      return c.json({ error: "Passport not found", code: "NOT_FOUND" }, 404);
+    }
 
     const metadata = parseMetadata(row.metadata);
     metadata.owner_verified = true;
@@ -202,14 +207,19 @@ export function createTrustRouter(db: Sql): Hono<{ Variables: AuthVariables }> {
     });
   });
 
-  // PATCH /passports/:id/trust/payment-method — set payment_method flag
-  router.patch("/:id/trust/payment-method", requireAuth(db), async (c) => {
-    const owner = c.get("owner") as OwnerPayload;
+  // PATCH /passports/:id/trust/payment-method — set payment_method flag (admin only)
+  router.patch("/:id/trust/payment-method", requireAuth(db), requireAdmin(), async (c) => {
     const passportId = c.req.param("id");
 
-    const result = await fetchOwnedPassport(c, passportId, owner);
-    if (result instanceof Response) return result;
-    const row = result;
+    // Admin can set payment method on any passport — look it up without ownership check
+    const rows = await db<PassportRow[]>`
+      SELECT id, owner_email, trust_score, status, metadata, created_at
+      FROM passports WHERE id = ${passportId}
+    `;
+    const row = rows[0];
+    if (!row) {
+      return c.json({ error: "Passport not found", code: "NOT_FOUND" }, 404);
+    }
 
     const metadata = parseMetadata(row.metadata);
     metadata.payment_method = true;
@@ -292,7 +302,7 @@ export function createTrustRouter(db: Sql): Hono<{ Variables: AuthVariables }> {
 
     (metadata.external_attestations as ExternalAttestationFactor[]).push(attestation);
 
-    const { score, level, factors } = await recalculateAndPersist(
+    const { score, level } = await recalculateAndPersist(
       passportId,
       metadata,
       row.created_at,
diff --git a/packages/api-server/src/routes/webhooks.ts b/packages/api-server/src/routes/webhooks.ts
index 4c986da..d9485c7 100644
--- a/packages/api-server/src/routes/webhooks.ts
+++ b/packages/api-server/src/routes/webhooks.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import { Hono } from 'hono';
 import type { Sql } from '../db/schema.js';
 import { createHmac, timingSafeEqual } from 'crypto';
+import { requireAuth, type OwnerPayload, type AuthVariables } from '../middleware/auth.js';
 
 /**
  * Constant-time string comparison to prevent timing attacks.
@@ -17,8 +18,8 @@ function constantTimeCompare(a: string, b: string): boolean {
   return timingSafeEqual(Buffer.from(a, 'utf-8'), Buffer.from(b, 'utf-8'));
 }
 
-export function createWebhookRouter(db: Sql): Hono {
-  const app = new Hono();
+export function createWebhookRouter(db: Sql): Hono<{ Variables: AuthVariables }> {
+  const app = new Hono<{ Variables: AuthVariables }>();
 
   /**
    * POST /webhook/email-received
@@ -66,9 +67,20 @@ export function createWebhookRouter(db: Sql): Hono {
    * Poll for new email notifications for a specific address.
    * Returns list of pending notifications and marks them as retrieved.
    */
-  app.get('/email-notifications/:address', async (c) => {
+  app.get('/email-notifications/:address', requireAuth(db), async (c) => {
+    const owner = c.get('owner') as OwnerPayload;
     const address = c.req.param('address').toLowerCase();
 
+    // Scope to owner's own email address or passport email addresses
+    const ownerPassports = await db<{ owner_email: string }[]>`
+      SELECT DISTINCT owner_email FROM passports WHERE owner_email = ${address}
+    `;
+    const isOwnerEmail = owner.email.toLowerCase() === address;
+    const isPassportEmail = ownerPassports.length > 0 && ownerPassports[0]?.owner_email === owner.email;
+    if (!isOwnerEmail && !isPassportEmail) {
+      return c.json({ error: 'Access denied: address does not belong to you', code: 'FORBIDDEN' }, 403);
+    }
+
     // Get all unprocessed notifications for this address
     interface EmailNotificationRow {
       email_id: string;
@@ -193,9 +205,24 @@ export function createWebhookRouter(db: Sql): Hono {
    * Poll for new SMS notifications for a specific phone number.
    * Returns list of pending notifications and marks them as retrieved.
    */
-  app.get('/sms-notifications/:phoneNumber', async (c) => {
+  app.get('/sms-notifications/:phoneNumber', requireAuth(db), async (c) => {
+    const owner = c.get('owner') as OwnerPayload;
     const phoneNumber = c.req.param('phoneNumber');
 
+    // Scope to owner's own phone — check settings table for phone association
+    const phoneRows = await db<{ value: string }[]>`
+      SELECT value FROM owner_settings
+      WHERE owner_id = ${owner.owner_id} AND key = 'phone_number' AND value = ${phoneNumber}
+    `;
+    // Also check if phone matches any passport metadata phone
+    const passportPhoneRows = await db<{ id: string }[]>`
+      SELECT id FROM passports
+      WHERE owner_email = ${owner.email} AND metadata->>'phone' = ${phoneNumber}
+    `;
+    if (phoneRows.length === 0 && passportPhoneRows.length === 0) {
+      return c.json({ error: 'Access denied: phone number does not belong to you', code: 'FORBIDDEN' }, 403);
+    }
+
     // Get all unprocessed notifications for this phone number
     interface SmsNotificationRow {
       sms_id: string;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/crypto/encryption.ts b/packages/core/src/crypto/encryption.ts
index 7fb4139..6ca03f7 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/crypto/encryption.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/crypto/encryption.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ const KEY_LENGTH = 32; // 256-bit key
 
 /** HKDF parameters for vault key derivation */
 const HKDF_DIGEST = "sha256";
-const HKDF_SALT = "agentpass-vault";
+const HKDF_SALT_LEGACY = "agentpass-vault";
+const HKDF_SALT_LENGTH = 32; // 256-bit random salt
 const HKDF_INFO = "credential-vault-key";
 
 /**
@@ -107,27 +108,39 @@ export function decrypt(encoded: string, key: Buffer): string {
   return decrypted.toString("utf8");
 }
 
+/**
+ * Generate a cryptographically random salt for HKDF key derivation.
+ *
+ * @returns A 32-byte random salt as a base64url string
+ */
+export function generateVaultSalt(): string {
+  return randomBytes(HKDF_SALT_LENGTH).toString("base64url");
+}
+
 /**
  * Derive a 32-byte AES-256 vault key from an Ed25519 private key using HKDF.
  *
- * Uses HKDF with SHA-256, a fixed salt and info string so the same
- * private key always produces the same vault key.
+ * When `salt` is provided, it is used as the HKDF salt (recommended for new vaults).
+ * When `salt` is omitted, falls back to the legacy static salt for backward compatibility.
  *
  * @param privateKey - base64url-encoded Ed25519 private key
+ * @param salt - Optional base64url-encoded random salt (recommended)
  * @returns A 32-byte Buffer suitable for AES-256-GCM
  */
-export async function deriveVaultKey(privateKey: string): Promise<Buffer> {
+export async function deriveVaultKey(privateKey: string, salt?: string): Promise<Buffer> {
   const ikm = Buffer.from(privateKey, "base64url");
 
   if (ikm.length === 0) {
     throw new Error("Private key must not be empty");
   }
 
+  const hkdfSalt = salt ? Buffer.from(salt, "base64url") : HKDF_SALT_LEGACY;
+
   const derived = await new Promise<Buffer>((resolve, reject) => {
     hkdf(
       HKDF_DIGEST,
       ikm,
-      HKDF_SALT,
+      hkdfSalt,
       HKDF_INFO,
       KEY_LENGTH,
       (err, derivedKey) => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/crypto/index.ts b/packages/core/src/crypto/index.ts
index 40e60bf..278af3e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/crypto/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/crypto/index.ts
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ export {
   verifyChallenge,
 } from "./signing.js";
 
-export { encrypt, decrypt, deriveVaultKey } from "./encryption.js";
+export { encrypt, decrypt, deriveVaultKey, generateVaultSalt } from "./encryption.js";
diff --git a/packages/core/src/vault/vault.ts b/packages/core/src/vault/vault.ts
index 746401d..b6dbc72 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/vault/vault.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/vault/vault.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 import Database from "better-sqlite3";
 import type { StoredCredential, AgentPassport } from "../types/index.js";
-import { encrypt, decrypt, deriveVaultKey } from "../crypto/index.js";
+import { encrypt, decrypt, deriveVaultKey, generateVaultSalt } from "../crypto/index.js";
 
 /** Metadata returned by `list()` — never includes passwords or cookies. */
 export interface CredentialListEntry {
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ export class CredentialVault {
    * Must be called before any other method.
    */
   async init(): Promise<void> {
-    this.vaultKey = await deriveVaultKey(this.privateKey);
-
     this.db = new Database(this.dbPath);
 
     // Enable WAL mode for better concurrent read performance
@@ -88,6 +86,45 @@ export class CredentialVault {
         updated_at TEXT NOT NULL
       )
     `);
+
+    // Vault metadata table for storing per-vault salt
+    this.db.exec(`
+      CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS vault_metadata (
+        key TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
+        value TEXT NOT NULL
+      )
+    `);
+
+    // Get or generate salt
+    const saltRow = this.db.prepare(
+      "SELECT value FROM vault_metadata WHERE key = 'hkdf_salt'"
+    ).get() as { value: string } | undefined;
+
+    let salt: string | undefined;
+    if (saltRow) {
+      salt = saltRow.value;
+    } else {
+      // Check if vault has existing data (legacy vault with static salt)
+      const hasData = this.db.prepare(
+        "SELECT 1 FROM credentials LIMIT 1"
+      ).get();
+      const hasIdentities = this.db.prepare(
+        "SELECT 1 FROM identities LIMIT 1"
+      ).get();
+
+      if (hasData || hasIdentities) {
+        // Legacy vault — use no salt (falls back to static salt) for compatibility
+        salt = undefined;
+      } else {
+        // New vault — generate random salt
+        salt = generateVaultSalt();
+        this.db.prepare(
+          "INSERT INTO vault_metadata (key, value) VALUES ('hkdf_salt', ?)"
+        ).run(salt);
+      }
+    }
+
+    this.vaultKey = await deriveVaultKey(this.privateKey, salt);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/mcp-server/src/services/captcha-service.ts b/packages/mcp-server/src/services/captcha-service.ts
index 76dab5a..51528fd 100644
--- a/packages/mcp-server/src/services/captcha-service.ts
+++ b/packages/mcp-server/src/services/captcha-service.ts
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ export class CaptchaService {
       }
 
       // Wait before next poll
-      await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve, _reject) => {
         const timer = setTimeout(resolve, pollIntervalMs);
         if (signal) {
           const onAbort = () => {