diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 903c274..3b7ffb3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ This project has a published GitHub Release line, but no stable support or API g
 
 ### Changed
 
+- Hardened the local post-release audit script to verify package metadata, version parity, source CLI smoke behavior, workflow action inventory, workflow trigger and permission posture, PyPI Trusted Publishing boundaries, Dependabot configuration, forbidden local artifacts, and public-claim guardrails.
 - Added low-noise Dependabot version updates for `pip` and `github-actions` with monthly checks and capped open PRs.
 - Triaged CodeQL findings by removing duplicate `re` imports, making deliberate test string concatenation explicit, and avoiding secret-like test fixture naming that produced false-positive clear-text storage alerts.
 - Synced Dependabot malware alerts and grouped security updates documentation with follow-up Advanced Security UI evidence, while keeping Dependabot version updates deferred.
diff --git a/scripts/post-release-audit.sh b/scripts/post-release-audit.sh
index 67ee5b5..5670b00 100755
--- a/scripts/post-release-audit.sh
+++ b/scripts/post-release-audit.sh
@@ -8,10 +8,17 @@ require_file() {
     fi
 }
 
+require_executable() {
+    if [ ! -x "$1" ]; then
+        printf 'ERROR expected executable file: %s\n' "$1"
+        return 1
+    fi
+}
+
 require_contains() {
     file_name="$1"
     pattern="$2"
-    if ! grep -Eq "$pattern" "$file_name"; then
+    if ! grep -Eq -- "$pattern" "$file_name"; then
         printf 'ERROR expected pattern not found in %s: %s\n' "$file_name" "$pattern"
         return 1
     fi
@@ -20,12 +27,22 @@ require_contains() {
 require_absent() {
     file_name="$1"
     pattern="$2"
-    if grep -Eq "$pattern" "$file_name"; then
+    if grep -Eq -- "$pattern" "$file_name"; then
         printf 'ERROR unexpected stale pattern found in %s: %s\n' "$file_name" "$pattern"
         return 1
     fi
 }
 
+require_absent_in_files() {
+    pattern="$1"
+    shift
+
+    if grep -REn -- "$pattern" "$@"; then
+        printf 'ERROR unexpected pattern found: %s\n' "$pattern"
+        return 1
+    fi
+}
+
 printf '\n== post-release audit ==\n'
 printf 'mode: local tracked-file audit; no GitHub, PyPI, tag, release, or branch mutation\n'
 
@@ -35,13 +52,70 @@ require_file README.md
 require_file CHANGELOG.md
 require_file SECURITY.md
 require_file SUPPORT.md
+require_file LICENSE
 require_file docs/PRODUCT-STRATEGY.md
 require_file docs/THREAT-MODEL.md
 require_file docs/V0.3.0-POST-RELEASE-AUDIT.md
+require_file docs/V0.3.0-RELEASE-NOTES.md
+require_file docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md
+require_file docs/SECURITY-SUPPLY-CHAIN-EVALUATION.md
+require_file docs/OPENSSF-SCORECARD-EVALUATION.md
+require_file docs/PRIVATE-VULNERABILITY-REPORTING.md
+require_file .github/dependabot.yml
+require_file .github/workflows/ci.yml
+require_file .github/workflows/codeql.yml
+require_file .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml
 require_file scripts/check.sh
+require_file scripts/post-release-audit.sh
+require_executable scripts/check.sh
+require_executable scripts/post-release-audit.sh
 printf 'OK: required files present.\n'
 
-printf '\n== git state ==\n'
+printf '
+== forbidden local artifacts ==
+'
+python - <<'PY_FORBIDDEN_ARTIFACTS'
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+SKIP_DIRS = {
+    ".git",
+    ".mypy_cache",
+    ".pytest_cache",
+    ".ruff_cache",
+    ".venv",
+    "__pycache__",
+    "build",
+    "dist",
+    "env",
+    "venv",
+}
+
+failed = False
+
+for item in sorted(Path(".").rglob("*")):
+    if any(part in SKIP_DIRS for part in item.parts):
+        continue
+
+    if item.is_file() and (item.name == ".env" or item.name.startswith(".env.")):
+        if item.name != ".env.example":
+            print(f"ERROR forbidden environment file found: {item}")
+            failed = True
+
+    if item.is_dir() and (item.name in {"build", "dist"} or item.name.endswith(".egg-info")):
+        print(f"ERROR forbidden build artifact directory found: {item}")
+        failed = True
+
+if failed:
+    raise SystemExit(1)
+
+print("OK: no forbidden local artifacts found outside ignored tool/build directories.")
+PY_FORBIDDEN_ARTIFACTS
+
+printf '
+== git state ==
+'
 if git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     printf 'branch: %s\n' "$(git branch --show-current)"
     printf 'head: %s\n' "$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
@@ -58,6 +132,194 @@ fi
 printf '\n== local checks ==\n'
 ./scripts/check.sh
 
+printf '\n== package metadata and version parity ==\n'
+python - <<'PY_METADATA'
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+import tomllib
+from pathlib import Path
+
+pyproject = tomllib.loads(Path("pyproject.toml").read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+project = pyproject["project"]
+pyproject_version = project["version"]
+
+init_text = Path("src/agent_rules_kit/__init__.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+match = re.search(r'^__version__ = "([^"]+)"$', init_text, re.MULTILINE)
+
+if match is None:
+    raise SystemExit("ERROR package __version__ not found")
+
+package_version = match.group(1)
+
+if pyproject_version != package_version:
+    raise SystemExit(
+        f"ERROR version mismatch: pyproject={pyproject_version} package={package_version}"
+    )
+
+expected = {
+    "name": "agent-rules-kit",
+    "requires-python": ">=3.12",
+    "dependencies": [],
+}
+
+for key, expected_value in expected.items():
+    actual_value = project.get(key)
+    if actual_value != expected_value:
+        raise SystemExit(f"ERROR unexpected project.{key}: {actual_value!r}")
+
+if "ruff>=0.8,<1" not in project.get("optional-dependencies", {}).get("dev", []):
+    raise SystemExit("ERROR dev dependency on Ruff is missing or changed")
+
+urls = project.get("urls", {})
+required_urls = {
+    "Homepage",
+    "Documentation",
+    "Repository",
+    "Issues",
+    "Changelog",
+    "Security",
+    "Release",
+}
+
+missing_urls = sorted(required_urls.difference(urls))
+if missing_urls:
+    raise SystemExit(f"ERROR missing project URLs: {missing_urls}")
+
+expected_release_url = (
+    "https://github.com/CoderDeltaLAN/agent-rules-kit/releases/tag/"
+    f"v{pyproject_version}"
+)
+if urls["Release"] != expected_release_url:
+    raise SystemExit(f"ERROR release URL does not match v{pyproject_version}")
+
+if "License :: OSI Approved :: MIT License" not in project.get("classifiers", []):
+    raise SystemExit("ERROR MIT classifier is missing")
+
+print(f"OK: package metadata and version parity {pyproject_version}")
+PY_METADATA
+
+printf '\n== local CLI smoke ==\n'
+PYTHONPATH=src python -m agent_rules_kit.cli --version | grep -Eq '^agent-rules-kit 0\.3\.0$'
+PYTHONPATH=src python -m agent_rules_kit.cli check tests/fixtures/repositories/single-agent --format json | python -m json.tool >/dev/null
+PYTHONPATH=src python -m agent_rules_kit.cli doctor tests/fixtures/repositories/single-agent >/dev/null
+PYTHONPATH=src python -m agent_rules_kit.cli budget tests/fixtures/repositories/single-agent >/dev/null
+PYTHONPATH=src python -m agent_rules_kit.cli explain AIRK-GOV003 >/dev/null
+PYTHONPATH=src python -m agent_rules_kit.cli explain --list >/dev/null
+printf 'OK: local CLI smoke checks passed.\n'
+
+printf '\n== workflow action inventory ==\n'
+python - <<'PY_WORKFLOWS'
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+from pathlib import Path
+
+expected_workflows = {
+    ".github/workflows/ci.yml",
+    ".github/workflows/codeql.yml",
+    ".github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml",
+}
+
+workflow_paths = {item.as_posix() for item in Path(".github/workflows").glob("*.yml")}
+if workflow_paths != expected_workflows:
+    raise SystemExit(f"ERROR unexpected workflow inventory: {sorted(workflow_paths)}")
+
+allowed_uses = {
+    "actions/checkout@v7",
+    "actions/setup-python@v6",
+    "actions/upload-artifact@v4",
+    "actions/download-artifact@v8",
+    "github/codeql-action/init@v4",
+    "github/codeql-action/analyze@v4",
+    "pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@release/v1",
+}
+
+observed_uses: list[str] = []
+
+for workflow_path in sorted(Path(".github/workflows").glob("*.yml")):
+    for line_number, line in enumerate(workflow_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").splitlines(), start=1):
+        match = re.match(r"\s*uses:\s*['\"]?([^'\"\s]+)['\"]?\s*$", line)
+        if match is None:
+            continue
+
+        value = match.group(1)
+        observed_uses.append(value)
+
+        if "${{" in value:
+            raise SystemExit(f"ERROR dynamic action reference in {workflow_path}:{line_number}: {value}")
+
+        if value not in allowed_uses:
+            raise SystemExit(f"ERROR unapproved action reference in {workflow_path}:{line_number}: {value}")
+
+missing_uses = sorted(allowed_uses.difference(observed_uses))
+if missing_uses:
+    raise SystemExit(f"ERROR expected action reference not observed: {missing_uses}")
+
+print("OK: workflow action inventory is explicit and approved.")
+PY_WORKFLOWS
+
+printf '\n== workflow permission and trigger sanity ==\n'
+require_absent_in_files 'pull_request_target|workflow_run|schedule:' .github/workflows/ci.yml .github/workflows/codeql.yml .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml
+require_absent_in_files 'write-all|contents: write|packages: write|actions: write|pull-requests: write|issues: write|deployments: write' .github/workflows/ci.yml .github/workflows/codeql.yml .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml
+require_absent_in_files '\$\{\{[[:space:]]*secrets\.|PYPI_TOKEN|TWINE_PASSWORD|__token__|password:|username:' .github/workflows/ci.yml .github/workflows/codeql.yml .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml '^permissions:$'
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml '^  contents: read$'
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml 'name: local-checks / Python 3\.12'
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml 'name: compatibility / Python \$\{\{ matrix\.python-version \}\}'
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml 'python-version: "3\.12"'
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml '- "3\.13"'
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml 'agent-rules-kit doctor tests/fixtures/repositories/single-agent'
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml 'agent-rules-kit budget tests/fixtures/repositories/single-agent'
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml 'agent-rules-kit explain AIRK-GOV003'
+require_contains .github/workflows/ci.yml 'agent-rules-kit explain --list'
+require_contains .github/workflows/codeql.yml '^permissions:$'
+require_contains .github/workflows/codeql.yml '^  contents: read$'
+require_contains .github/workflows/codeql.yml '^  security-events: write$'
+require_contains .github/workflows/codeql.yml 'queries: security-and-quality'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml 'types:'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml '^[[:space:]]+- published$'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml '^permissions:$'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml '^  contents: read$'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml '^  publish:$'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml 'environment: pypi'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml 'id-token: write'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml 'retention-days: 7'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml 'Verify release ref matches package version'
+require_contains .github/workflows/publish-pypi.yml 'Smoke test wheel'
+printf 'OK: workflow permission and trigger sanity checks passed.\n'
+
+printf '\n== Dependabot sanity ==\n'
+require_contains .github/dependabot.yml '^version: 2$'
+require_contains .github/dependabot.yml 'package-ecosystem: "pip"'
+require_contains .github/dependabot.yml 'package-ecosystem: "github-actions"'
+require_contains .github/dependabot.yml 'interval: "monthly"'
+require_contains .github/dependabot.yml 'open-pull-requests-limit: 2'
+require_absent .github/dependabot.yml 'registries:|username:|password:|token:|insecure-external-code-execution'
+require_contains docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md 'Dependabot version updates | Configured'
+require_contains docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md 'Dependabot malware alerts | Enabled'
+require_contains docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md 'Grouped security updates | Enabled'
+require_contains docs/SECURITY-SUPPLY-CHAIN-EVALUATION.md 'Dependabot-created PRs still require normal Always-Green review'
+printf 'OK: Dependabot sanity checks passed.\n'
+
+printf '\n== public truth and claim boundaries ==\n'
+require_contains README.md '`v0\.3\.0` is the current GitHub Release and PyPI package'
+require_contains README.md 'agent-rules-kit==0\.3\.0'
+require_contains README.md 'PyPI Trusted Publishing'
+require_contains README.md 'not a security product, not a general repository auditor, not a secret scanner'
+require_contains SECURITY.md '`v0\.3\.0` is the current published GitHub Release and PyPI package'
+require_contains SECURITY.md 'Private vulnerability reporting is enabled'
+require_contains SECURITY.md 'not a security scanner, provides no security guarantees'
+require_contains SUPPORT.md '`v0\.3\.0` is the current published GitHub Release and PyPI package line'
+require_contains SUPPORT.md 'Private vulnerability reporting is enabled'
+require_contains docs/PRIVATE-VULNERABILITY-REPORTING.md 'private vulnerability reporting was enabled manually'
+require_contains docs/OPENSSF-SCORECARD-EVALUATION.md 'Do not add a Scorecard workflow in this phase'
+require_contains docs/V0.3.0-POST-RELEASE-AUDIT.md 'v0\.3\.0 remains published and should not be modified'
+require_absent README.md 'enterprise-grade|production-ready|guarantees security|guaranteed secure|complete secret scanner'
+require_absent SECURITY.md 'enterprise-grade|production-ready|guarantees security|guaranteed secure|complete secret scanner'
+require_absent SUPPORT.md 'enterprise-grade|production-ready|guarantees security|guaranteed secure|complete secret scanner'
+printf 'OK: public truth and claim boundary checks passed.\n'
+
 printf '\n== v0.3.0 documentation sanity ==\n'
 require_absent README.md 'doctor\.py'
 require_absent docs/THREAT-MODEL.md 'v0\.2\.0 release line|post-v0\.2\.0 main state'
@@ -67,12 +329,6 @@ require_contains docs/THREAT-MODEL.md 'v0\.3\.0 doctor, budget, and explain comm
 require_contains docs/PRODUCT-STRATEGY.md 'published v0\.3\.0 GitHub Release and PyPI package line'
 require_contains docs/PRODUCT-STRATEGY.md 'Status: published in v0\.3\.0'
 require_contains SUPPORT.md 'Private vulnerability reporting is enabled'
-require_contains docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md 'Dependabot malware alerts | Enabled'
-require_contains docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md 'Grouped security updates | Enabled'
-require_contains .github/dependabot.yml 'package-ecosystem: "pip"'
-require_contains .github/dependabot.yml 'package-ecosystem: "github-actions"'
-require_contains .github/dependabot.yml 'open-pull-requests-limit: 2'
-require_contains docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md 'Dependabot version updates | Configured'
 require_contains docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md 'Evidence is ranked in this record as follows'
 require_contains docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md 'vulnerability-alerts` returned HTTP `204`'
 require_contains docs/DEPENDABOT-DEPENDENCY-GRAPH.md 'private-vulnerability-reporting` returned `enabled: true`'