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;
+}