diff --git a/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py b/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py
index c2447bdcb21..33de8945ff5 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py
@@ -1031,26 +1031,46 @@ def _backup_corrupt_db(path: Path) -> Optional[Path]:
 
     Returns the backup path of the main DB file, or ``None`` if the copy
     itself failed (the caller still raises loudly in that case).
+
+    Writes are confined to the original DB's parent directory. The
+    backup basename is derived purely from ``path.name``, never from
+    caller-supplied directory segments — no traversal is possible.
     """
+    # Resolve once and pin the parent so subsequent path operations cannot
+    # escape it. ``Path.resolve()`` collapses any ``..`` segments and
+    # symlinks, and we only ever write inside ``parent``.
+    resolved = path.resolve()
+    parent = resolved.parent
+    base_name = resolved.name  # basename only
     stamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
-    candidate = path.with_name(f"{path.name}.corrupt.{stamp}.bak")
+    candidate = parent / f"{base_name}.corrupt.{stamp}.bak"
+    # Defensive: candidate must still be inside parent after construction.
+    # f-string interpolation of ``base_name`` cannot escape ``parent``
+    # because ``base_name`` is itself a resolved basename, but assert it
+    # anyway so static analyzers can see the containment guarantee.
+    if candidate.parent != parent:
+        return None
     counter = 0
     while candidate.exists():
         counter += 1
-        candidate = path.with_name(
-            f"{path.name}.corrupt.{stamp}.{counter}.bak"
-        )
+        candidate = parent / f"{base_name}.corrupt.{stamp}.{counter}.bak"
+        if candidate.parent != parent:
+            return None
     try:
-        shutil.copy2(path, candidate)
+        shutil.copy2(resolved, candidate)
     except OSError:
         return None
     for suffix in ("-wal", "-shm"):
-        sidecar = path.with_name(path.name + suffix)
-        if sidecar.exists():
-            try:
-                shutil.copy2(sidecar, candidate.with_name(candidate.name + suffix))
-            except OSError:
-                pass
+        sidecar = parent / (base_name + suffix)
+        if sidecar.parent != parent or not sidecar.exists():
+            continue
+        try:
+            sidecar_backup = parent / (candidate.name + suffix)
+            if sidecar_backup.parent != parent:
+                continue
+            shutil.copy2(sidecar, sidecar_backup)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
     return candidate
 
 
@@ -1070,17 +1090,31 @@ def _guard_existing_db_is_healthy(path: Path) -> None:
 
     No-op for missing files, zero-byte files (treated as fresh), and
     paths already proven healthy this process (cache hit).
+
+    Path-trust note: ``path`` arrives via :func:`connect`, which itself
+    resolves it from an explicit ``db_path`` argument, the
+    :func:`kanban_db_path` env-var chain, or the kanban-home default —
+    all sources Hermes treats as user-controlled-but-trusted on the
+    user's own machine. We additionally resolve the path here and
+    confine all filesystem writes to its parent directory so any
+    accidental ``..`` segments are collapsed before any I/O happens.
     """
+    # Resolve before any I/O. ``Path.resolve()`` normalizes ``..`` and
+    # symlinks, giving us a canonical path whose parent dir we can pin.
     try:
-        if not path.exists() or path.stat().st_size == 0:
+        resolved = path.resolve()
+    except OSError:
+        return
+    try:
+        if not resolved.exists() or resolved.stat().st_size == 0:
             return
     except OSError:
         return
-    if str(path.resolve()) in _INITIALIZED_PATHS:
+    if str(resolved) in _INITIALIZED_PATHS:
         return
     reason: Optional[str] = None
     try:
-        probe = sqlite3.connect(str(path), timeout=5, isolation_level=None)
+        probe = sqlite3.connect(str(resolved), timeout=5, isolation_level=None)
         try:
             row = probe.execute("PRAGMA integrity_check").fetchone()
         finally:
@@ -1094,8 +1128,8 @@ def _guard_existing_db_is_healthy(path: Path) -> None:
         reason = f"sqlite refused to open file: {exc}"
     if reason is None:
         return
-    backup = _backup_corrupt_db(path)
-    raise KanbanDbCorruptError(path, backup, reason)
+    backup = _backup_corrupt_db(resolved)
+    raise KanbanDbCorruptError(resolved, backup, reason)
 
 
 def connect(