diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index a19fd2d7..4cebe788 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -3,14 +3,31 @@ APP_URL=http://localhost:3000
 PORT=3000
 
 # --- Security / reverse proxy ---
-# The app runs with Fastify `trustProxy` ENABLED, so it derives the client IP
-# (req.ip) from the `X-Forwarded-For` header. That header is client-forgeable.
-# Deploy this app behind a trusted reverse proxy that SETS/OVERWRITES (not
-# appends) `X-Forwarded-For` with the real client IP. Without such a proxy, any
+# The app derives the client IP (req.ip) from the `X-Forwarded-For` header via
+# Fastify `trustProxy`. That header is client-forgeable, so XFF is trusted only
+# from proxies on the configured trusted networks. Deploy this app behind a
+# trusted reverse proxy that SETS/OVERWRITES (not appends) `X-Forwarded-For`
+# with the real client IP. If XFF is trusted from an untrusted source, any
 # per-IP throttling — including the /mcp Basic brute-force limiter — can be
 # bypassed by an attacker who simply spoofs `X-Forwarded-For` to rotate IPs.
 # (The /mcp limiter keeps a global per-email key as an IP-independent backstop,
 # but the per-IP and per-IP+email keys rely on a trustworthy X-Forwarded-For.)
+#
+# TRUST_PROXY controls which proxies are trusted to set X-Forwarded-For.
+# Default (unset/empty): `loopback, linklocal, uniquelocal` — XFF is trusted
+# ONLY from private/loopback proxies, so a public-IP client cannot spoof req.ip.
+# This is the safe default for the common case where the reverse proxy runs on
+# loopback or a private network; req.ip still resolves to the real client.
+# WARNING: this changed the previous default of trust-all. If your reverse proxy
+# sits on a PUBLIC IP, the default will NOT trust its XFF and req.ip will be the
+# proxy's IP — set TRUST_PROXY accordingly. Accepted values:
+#   - true   restore trust-all (ONLY safe if a trusted proxy ALWAYS overwrites
+#            X-Forwarded-For; otherwise clients can spoof their IP)
+#   - false  never trust X-Forwarded-For (req.ip is the socket peer)
+#   - <int>  number of trusted proxy hops in front of the app
+#   - <list> comma-separated CIDR/IP list of trusted proxies, e.g.
+#            `127.0.0.1, 10.0.0.0/8`
+# TRUST_PROXY=
 
 # minimum of 32 characters. Generate one with: openssl rand -hex 32
 APP_SECRET=REPLACE_WITH_LONG_SECRET
diff --git a/apps/server/src/main.ts b/apps/server/src/main.ts
index 1c2ccebf..3588f045 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/main.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/main.ts
@@ -15,11 +15,24 @@ import { InternalLogFilter } from './common/logger/internal-log-filter';
 import { EnvironmentService } from './integrations/environment/environment.service';
 import { resolveFrameHeader } from './common/helpers';
 
+// Trust X-Forwarded-For ONLY from real proxies on private/loopback nets by
+// default, so a public-IP client cannot spoof its IP via X-Forwarded-For.
+// TRUST_PROXY env overrides: 'true'/'false', a hop count (integer), or a
+// CIDR/IP list string passed through to Fastify/proxy-addr.
+function resolveTrustProxy(rawInput?: string): boolean | number | string {
+  const raw = rawInput?.trim();
+  if (raw == null || raw === '') return 'loopback, linklocal, uniquelocal';
+  if (raw === 'true') return true;
+  if (raw === 'false') return false;
+  const n = Number(raw);
+  return Number.isInteger(n) && n >= 0 ? n : raw;
+}
+
 async function bootstrap() {
   const app = await NestFactory.create<NestFastifyApplication>(
     AppModule,
     new FastifyAdapter({
-      trustProxy: true,
+      trustProxy: resolveTrustProxy(process.env.TRUST_PROXY),
       routerOptions: {
         maxParamLength: 1000,
         ignoreTrailingSlash: true,