diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 512de33..6e3b883 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -69,13 +69,16 @@ env:
   S3_BUCKET: "connector-artifact-registry"
   GENERATED_DIR: "_generated"
 
+permissions: {}
+
 jobs:
   validate-inputs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Validate tag format
+        env:
+          TAG: ${{ inputs.tag }}
         run: |
-          TAG="${{ inputs.tag }}"
           # Strict semver regex with 'v' prefix (per https://semver.org)
           # Supports: v1.2.3, v1.2.3-alpha, v1.2.3-alpha.1, v1.2.3+build, v1.2.3-rc.1+build.123
           SEMVER_REGEX='^v(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*)(-((0|[1-9][0-9]*|[0-9]*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*)(\.(0|[1-9][0-9]*|[0-9]*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*))*))?(\+([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?$'
@@ -91,18 +94,44 @@ jobs:
           echo "::error::dockerfile_template can only be used when lambda is false"
           exit 1
 
+      - name: Validate dockerfile_template has safe path
+        if: inputs.dockerfile_template != ''
+        env:
+          DOCKERFILE_TEMPLATE: ${{ inputs.dockerfile_template }}
+        run: |
+          if [[ "$DOCKERFILE_TEMPLATE" == /* ]] || [[ "$DOCKERFILE_TEMPLATE" == *".."* ]] || [[ ! "$DOCKERFILE_TEMPLATE" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9._/-]+$ ]]; then
+            echo "::error::dockerfile_template must be a relative path with safe characters and without '..' traversal. Got: $DOCKERFILE_TEMPLATE"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
       - name: Validate docker_extra_files requires dockerfile_template
         if: inputs.docker_extra_files != '' && inputs.dockerfile_template == ''
         run: |
           echo "::error::docker_extra_files can only be used when dockerfile_template is set"
           exit 1
 
+      - name: Validate docker_extra_files have safe paths
+        if: inputs.docker_extra_files != ''
+        env:
+          DOCKER_EXTRA_FILES: ${{ inputs.docker_extra_files }}
+        run: |
+          IFS=',' read -ra FILES <<< "$DOCKER_EXTRA_FILES"
+          for file in "${FILES[@]}"; do
+            file="${file#"${file%%[![:space:]]*}"}"
+            file="${file%"${file##*[![:space:]]}"}"
+            if [[ -z "$file" ]] || [[ "$file" == /* ]] || [[ "$file" == *".."* ]] || [[ ! "$file" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9._/-]+$ ]]; then
+              echo "::error::docker_extra_files entries must be relative paths with safe characters and without '..' traversal. Got: $file"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          done
+
       - name: Validate msi_wxs_path has no path traversal
         if: inputs.msi_wxs_path != ''
+        env:
+          WXS_PATH: ${{ inputs.msi_wxs_path }}
         run: |
-          WXS_PATH="${{ inputs.msi_wxs_path }}"
-          if [[ "$WXS_PATH" == /* ]] || [[ "$WXS_PATH" == *".."* ]]; then
-            echo "::error::msi_wxs_path must be a relative path without '..' traversal. Got: $WXS_PATH"
+          if [[ "$WXS_PATH" == /* ]] || [[ "$WXS_PATH" == *".."* ]] || [[ ! "$WXS_PATH" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9._/-]+$ ]]; then
+            echo "::error::msi_wxs_path must be a relative path with safe characters and without '..' traversal. Got: $WXS_PATH"
             exit 1
           fi
 
@@ -149,6 +178,7 @@ jobs:
           path: _caller
           repository: ${{ github.event.repository.full_name }}
           fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Checkout connector workflows
         uses: actions/checkout@v5
@@ -156,11 +186,13 @@ jobs:
           path: _workflows
           repository: ConductorOne/github-workflows
           ref: ${{ needs.determine-workflows-ref.outputs.ref }}
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up Go for caller
         uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: "_caller/go.mod"
+          cache: false
 
       - name: Calculate S3 directory
         id: s3-directory
@@ -335,6 +367,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: "_workflows/go.mod"
+          cache: false
 
       - name: Generate manifest.json
         id: generate-binaries-manifest
@@ -397,6 +430,7 @@ jobs:
           path: _caller
           repository: ${{ github.event.repository.full_name }}
           fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Checkout connector workflows
         uses: actions/checkout@v5
@@ -404,11 +438,13 @@ jobs:
           path: _workflows
           repository: ConductorOne/github-workflows
           ref: ${{ needs.determine-workflows-ref.outputs.ref }}
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up Go for caller
         uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: "_caller/go.mod"
+          cache: false
 
       - name: Generate or locate WXS file
         id: wxs
@@ -647,6 +683,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: "_workflows/go.mod"
+          cache: false
 
       - name: Generate Windows manifest
         id: generate-windows-manifest
@@ -685,6 +722,7 @@ jobs:
           path: _caller
           repository: ${{ github.event.repository.full_name }}
           fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Checkout connector workflows
         if: inputs.docker == true || inputs.lambda == true
@@ -693,12 +731,14 @@ jobs:
           path: _workflows
           repository: ConductorOne/github-workflows
           ref: ${{ needs.determine-workflows-ref.outputs.ref }}
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up Go for caller
         if: inputs.docker == true || inputs.lambda == true
         uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: "_caller/go.mod"
+          cache: false
 
       - name: Install cosign
         if: inputs.docker == true
@@ -833,6 +873,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: "_workflows/go.mod"
+          cache: false
 
       - name: Extract image digests from GoReleaser assets
         id: extract-images
@@ -923,11 +964,13 @@ jobs:
           path: _workflows
           repository: ConductorOne/github-workflows
           ref: ${{ needs.determine-workflows-ref.outputs.ref }}
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up Go for workflows
         uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: "_workflows/go.mod"
+          cache: false
 
       - name: Merge binaries, Windows, and images manifests
         working-directory: _workflows
@@ -1152,16 +1195,19 @@ jobs:
           path: _workflows
           repository: ConductorOne/github-workflows
           ref: ${{ needs.determine-workflows-ref.outputs.ref }}
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up Go for workflows
         uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: "_workflows/go.mod"
+          cache: false
 
       - name: Checkout connector repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v5
         with:
           path: _connector
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Read connector documentation
         id: read-docs
@@ -1267,6 +1313,7 @@ jobs:
           repository: ConductorOne/github-workflows
           ref: ${{ needs.determine-workflows-ref.outputs.ref }}
           path: _workflows
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Install cosign
         uses: sigstore/cosign-installer@v3