diff --git a/src/agents/skills/workspace.ts b/src/agents/skills/workspace.ts
index 80624a30139..0ff326efd87 100644
--- a/src/agents/skills/workspace.ts
+++ b/src/agents/skills/workspace.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
 } from "./frontmatter.js";
 import { resolvePluginSkillDirs } from "./plugin-skills.js";
 import { serializeByKey } from "./serialize.js";
+import { scanSource } from "../../security/skill-scanner.js";
 import type {
   ParsedSkillFrontmatter,
   SkillEligibilityContext,
@@ -512,6 +513,12 @@ function loadSkillEntries(
     let frontmatter: ParsedSkillFrontmatter = {};
     try {
       const raw = fs.readFileSync(skill.filePath, "utf-8");
+      // SECURITY: scan skill source for malicious patterns before loading
+      const findings = scanSource(raw, skill.filePath);
+      const critical = findings.filter((f) => f.severity === "critical");
+      if (critical.length > 0) {
+        skillsLogger.warn(`[security] Skill "${skill.name}" has ${critical.length} critical finding(s): ${critical.map((f) => f.ruleId).join(", ")}`);
+      }
       frontmatter = parseFrontmatter(raw);
     } catch {
       // ignore malformed skills
diff --git a/src/commands/doctor-verification-debt.ts b/src/commands/doctor-verification-debt.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..028be8c4b0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/doctor-verification-debt.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
+import type { DoctorCommandOptions } from "./doctor.js";
+import { note } from "../terminal/note.js";
+import { resolveDefaultAgentId } from "../config/agent-id.js";
+import { resolveAgentWorkspaceDir } from "../config/paths.js";
+import {
+  loadVerificationDebt,
+  calculateDebtScore,
+  getDebtSummary,
+} from "../security/verification-debt.js";
+
+export async function noteVerificationDebt(
+  cfg: OpenClawConfig,
+  options: DoctorCommandOptions,
+): Promise<void> {
+  const workspaceDir = resolveAgentWorkspaceDir(cfg, resolveDefaultAgentId(cfg));
+  
+  try {
+    const state = await loadVerificationDebt({ workspaceDir });
+    const score = calculateDebtScore(state);
+    const summary = getDebtSummary(state);
+    
+    if (summary.unresolved === 0) {
+      note("✓ No verification debt — all security checks up to date.", "Security");
+      return;
+    }
+    
+    const lines: string[] = [];
+    lines.push(`Verification Debt Score: ${score}`);
+    lines.push("");
+    lines.push(`Unresolved: ${summary.unresolved} / ${summary.total}`);
+    lines.push("");
+    
+    if (summary.highRisk.length > 0) {
+      lines.push("⚠️  High-risk items (score ≥7):");
+      for (const item of summary.highRisk.slice(0, 5)) {
+        const ageDays = Math.floor((Date.now() - item.skippedAt) / (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000));
+        lines.push(`  - [${item.category}] ${item.description} (risk: ${item.riskScore}, ${ageDays}d)`);
+      }
+      if (summary.highRisk.length > 5) {
+        lines.push(`  ... and ${summary.highRisk.length - 5} more`);
+      }
+      lines.push("");
+    }
+    
+    lines.push("By category:");
+    for (const [cat, count] of Object.entries(summary.byCategory)) {
+      if (count > 0) {
+        lines.push(`  - ${cat}: ${count}`);
+      }
+    }
+    
+    lines.push("");
+    lines.push("Run 'openclaw security audit --deep' to address security debt.");
+    
+    const severity = score >= 20 ? "error" : score >= 10 ? "warn" : "info";
+    note(lines.join("\n"), "Security", severity);
+  } catch {
+    // Debt file doesn't exist yet — that's fine, first run will create it
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/commands/doctor.ts b/src/commands/doctor.ts
index 252b44efaca..34b0888abb8 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ import {
 import { maybeRepairUiProtocolFreshness } from "./doctor-ui.js";
 import { maybeOfferUpdateBeforeDoctor } from "./doctor-update.js";
 import { noteWorkspaceStatus } from "./doctor-workspace-status.js";
+import { noteVerificationDebt } from "./doctor-verification-debt.js";
 import { MEMORY_SYSTEM_PROMPT, shouldSuggestMemorySystem } from "./doctor-workspace.js";
 import { noteOpenAIOAuthTlsPrerequisites } from "./oauth-tls-preflight.js";
 import { applyWizardMetadata, printWizardHeader, randomToken } from "./onboard-helpers.js";
@@ -381,5 +382,7 @@ export async function doctorCommand(
     }
   }
 
+  await noteVerificationDebt(cfg, options);
+
   outro("Doctor complete.");
 }
diff --git a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.ts b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.ts
index 5e6ddcf07cf..c8f46925c08 100644
--- a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.ts
+++ b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
 } from "../auto-reply/heartbeat.js";
 import { getReplyFromConfig } from "../auto-reply/reply.js";
 import { HEARTBEAT_TOKEN } from "../auto-reply/tokens.js";
+import { detectSuspiciousPatterns } from "../security/external-content.js";
 import type { ReplyPayload } from "../auto-reply/types.js";
 import { getChannelPlugin } from "../channels/plugins/index.js";
 import type { ChannelHeartbeatDeps } from "../channels/plugins/types.js";
@@ -453,6 +454,13 @@ async function resolveHeartbeatPreflight(params: {
   const heartbeatFilePath = path.join(workspaceDir, DEFAULT_HEARTBEAT_FILENAME);
   try {
     const heartbeatFileContent = await fs.readFile(heartbeatFilePath, "utf-8");
+    // SECURITY: scan HEARTBEAT.md for injection patterns before injecting into agent prompt
+    const suspiciousPatterns = detectSuspiciousPatterns(heartbeatFileContent);
+    if (suspiciousPatterns.length > 0) {
+      log.warn(
+        `[security] Suspicious patterns detected in HEARTBEAT.md (patterns=${suspiciousPatterns.length}): ${suspiciousPatterns.slice(0, 3).join(", ")}`,
+      );
+    }
     if (isHeartbeatContentEffectivelyEmpty(heartbeatFileContent)) {
       return {
         ...basePreflight,
diff --git a/src/security/verification-debt.ts b/src/security/verification-debt.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bc665231dc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/security/verification-debt.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+/**
+ * Verification Debt Tracker
+ * 
+ * "Every skipped verification is a loan against future trust."
+ * 
+ * This module tracks verification events that were deferred or skipped,
+ * creating an auditable ledger of technical debt in the security posture.
+ */
+
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import path from "node:path";
+
+export type VerificationDebtCategory =
+  | "security_audit"
+  | "skill_scan"
+  | "api_health"
+  | "memory_injection"
+  | "cron_rejection"
+  | "external_content";
+
+export type VerificationDebtEntry = {
+  id: string;
+  category: VerificationDebtCategory;
+  description: string;
+  skippedAt: number;
+  reason: string;
+  riskScore: number;
+  resolved?: boolean;
+  resolvedAt?: number;
+  resolvedBy?: string;
+};
+
+export type VerificationDebtState = {
+  version: 1;
+  entries: VerificationDebtEntry[];
+  lastPruned: number;
+};
+
+const DEBT_FILE = "verification-debt.json";
+
+export async function loadVerificationDebt(params: { workspaceDir: string }): Promise<VerificationDebtState> {
+  const debtPath = path.join(params.workspaceDir, "state", DEBT_FILE);
+  try {
+    const raw = await fs.readFile(debtPath, "utf-8");
+    return JSON.parse(raw) as VerificationDebtState;
+  } catch {
+    return { version: 1, entries: [], lastPruned: Date.now() };
+  }
+}
+
+export async function saveVerificationDebt(params: {
+  workspaceDir: string;
+  state: VerificationDebtState;
+}): Promise<void> {
+  const debtPath = path.join(params.workspaceDir, "state", DEBT_FILE);
+  const stateDir = path.dirname(debtPath);
+  await fs.mkdir(stateDir, { recursive: true });
+  await fs.writeFile(debtPath, JSON.stringify(params.state, null, 2), "utf-8");
+}
+
+export async function addVerificationDebt(params: {
+  workspaceDir: string;
+  category: VerificationDebtCategory;
+  description: string;
+  reason: string;
+  riskScore: number;
+}): Promise<VerificationDebtEntry> {
+  const state = await loadVerificationDebt({ workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir });
+  
+  const entry: VerificationDebtEntry = {
+    id: crypto.randomUUID(),
+    category: params.category,
+    description: params.description,
+    skippedAt: Date.now(),
+    reason: params.reason,
+    riskScore: Math.max(1, Math.min(10, params.riskScore)),
+  };
+  
+  state.entries.push(entry);
+  await saveVerificationDebt({ workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir, state });
+  
+  return entry;
+}
+
+export async function resolveVerificationDebt(params: {
+  workspaceDir: string;
+  entryId: string;
+  resolvedBy: string;
+}): Promise<boolean> {
+  const state = await loadVerificationDebt({ workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir });
+  
+  const entry = state.entries.find((e) => e.id === params.entryId);
+  if (!entry || entry.resolved) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  
+  entry.resolved = true;
+  entry.resolvedAt = Date.now();
+  entry.resolvedBy = params.resolvedBy;
+  
+  await saveVerificationDebt({ workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir, state });
+  return true;
+}
+
+export function calculateDebtScore(state: VerificationDebtState): number {
+  const now = Date.now();
+  const oneWeekMs = 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
+  
+  return state.entries.reduce((score, entry) => {
+    if (entry.resolved) return score;
+    let entryScore = entry.riskScore;
+    if (now - entry.skippedAt > oneWeekMs) {
+      entryScore *= 2;
+    }
+    return score + entryScore;
+  }, 0);
+}
+
+export function getDebtSummary(state: VerificationDebtState): {
+  total: number;
+  unresolved: number;
+  byCategory: Record<VerificationDebtCategory, number>;
+  highRisk: VerificationDebtEntry[];
+} {
+  const unresolved = state.entries.filter((e) => !e.resolved);
+  const byCategory: Record<VerificationDebtCategory, number> = {
+    security_audit: 0,
+    skill_scan: 0,
+    api_health: 0,
+    memory_injection: 0,
+    cron_rejection: 0,
+    external_content: 0,
+  };
+  
+  for (const entry of unresolved) {
+    byCategory[entry.category]++;
+  }
+  
+  const highRisk = unresolved.filter((e) => e.riskScore >= 7).sort((a, b) => b.riskScore - a.riskScore);
+  
+  return {
+    total: state.entries.length,
+    unresolved: unresolved.length,
+    byCategory,
+    highRisk,
+  };
+}
+
+export async function pruneResolvedDebts(params: { workspaceDir: string; maxAgeDays: number }): Promise<number> {
+  const state = await loadVerificationDebt({ workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir });
+  const now = Date.now();
+  const maxAgeMs = params.maxAgeDays * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
+  
+  const initialCount = state.entries.length;
+  state.entries = state.entries.filter((entry) => {
+    if (!entry.resolved) return true;
+    if (now - (entry.resolvedAt ?? 0) < maxAgeMs) return true;
+    return false;
+  });
+  
+  state.lastPruned = now;
+  await saveVerificationDebt({ workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir, state });
+  
+  return initialCount - state.entries.length;
+}