diff --git a/PULL_REQUEST_DESCRIPTION.md b/PULL_REQUEST_DESCRIPTION.md
index bb77565..6ba8918 100644
--- a/PULL_REQUEST_DESCRIPTION.md
+++ b/PULL_REQUEST_DESCRIPTION.md
@@ -1,50 +1,31 @@
 # Pull Request Description
 
 ## Title
-`feat(frontend): improve accessibility, enable optimistic user permissions, and enhance network status dashboard controls`
+`feat(backend): add cryptographic signature verification to Audit Logger`
 
 ## Overview
-This PR introduces frontend accessibility enhancements, state refactoring, and polished visual micro-interactions across the Pluto dashboard framework. It successfully addresses four frontend tasks (#821, #822, #823, and #824) while ensuring total system compile stability.
-
----
+This PR implements cryptographic signature verification and payload integrity checks for the Audit Logger module during log retrieval. It enhances the platform's security posture and tamper-evidence guarantees, fulfilling the backend system optimization requirements.
 
 ## Detailed Changes
 
-### 1. Network Status Indicator (`ApiHealthBadge.tsx`)
-* **Interactive Controls**: Refactored the container from a passive `div` to a semantic `<button>` to enable keyboard focus and manual rechecking.
-* **Optimistic Update**: Transitioning immediately to a `"loading"` state upon mouse click or Enter keypress for a responsive feedback loop, before initiating the real backend health endpoint check.
-* **Advanced Accessibility (Screen Readers & Keyboard)**:
-  - Added descriptive `aria-live="polite"` tags to report status updates to screen readers dynamically.
-  - Linked detailed status/degradation alerts using `aria-describedby` referencing the hover/focus tooltip.
-  - Formulated precise dynamic `aria-label` definitions announcing the connection quality.
-  - Enabled tooltips on tab focus using standard Tailwind `group-focus-visible` styles.
-
-### 2. Premium User Permissions Manager (`UserPermissionsManager.tsx` & `settings/page.tsx`)
-* **Premium Settings Panel**: Integrated a new high-fidelity **Permissions & Team** tab under merchant settings complete with clean user group icons and layout selectors.
-* **Optimistic State Actions & Rollbacks**:
-  - Implemented persistent browser storage (`localStorage`) synced with memory.
-  - Invites, role transitions, and member revoking are computed **optimistically**. Rows update instantly in the UI with state snapshots saved beforehand.
-  - In the event of a simulated API failure, the component runs automatic rollback procedures to revert the UI state cleanly and prompts the user via toast notifications.
-* **Dynamic Animations**: 
-  - Integrated Framer Motion's `<AnimatePresence>` to animate layout shifts, spring updates, and fade transitions during addition, removal, or filtering of rows.
-
-### 3. Dashboard Webpack Compile Fix (`dashboard/page.tsx`)
-* Corrected a pre-existing webpack path resolution error where `dashboard/page.tsx` attempted to load `WithdrawModal` instead of `WithdrawalModal`. The build compiles cleanly with no fatal errors or runtime blockages.
-
-### 4. Code Cleanup & Lints (`WalletSelector.tsx`)
-* Removed an unused `useMemo` React import that triggered pre-existing linter warnings.
+### 1. Database Query Enhancements (`backend/src/services/auditService.js`)
+* Updated the SQL SELECT query in `getAuditLogs` to retrieve necessary integrity fields: `merchant_id`, `status`, `payload_hash`, and `signature`.
+* Preserved index utilization by ordering by `timestamp DESC` and filtering on `merchant_id` to prevent performance degradation on large tables.
 
----
+### 2. Dual-Layer Log Integrity Verification (`backend/src/services/auditService.js`)
+* Implemented payload reconstruction logic distinguishing between login attempt events and regular administrative events.
+* Added deterministic SHA-256 hash comparison against the stored `payload_hash` to detect any field tampering.
+* Implemented HMAC-SHA256 signature verification via `verifyAuditSignature` using constant-time comparison to guard against timing attacks.
+* Exposes `hash_verified` and `signature_verified` flags for each log entry.
+* Logs warnings/errors if any tampering is detected (e.g. hash or signature mismatch).
 
-## Verification & Build Log
-* **ESLint Check**: Passed with `✔ No ESLint warnings or errors`.
-* **Next.js Production Compilation**: Verified via `pnpm run build` compiling `20/20` pages successfully with zero failures.
+### 3. Comprehensive Unit Testing (`backend/src/services/auditService.test.js`)
+* Added unit tests covering:
+  - Verification of matching payload hashes and signatures.
+  - Tamper detection with mismatching hashes and signatures.
+  - Graceful handling of legacy unsigned logs or missing environment secrets.
 
 ---
 
 ## Linked Issues
-
-Closes #821  
-Closes #822  
-Closes #823  
-Closes #824  
+Closes #769
diff --git a/backend/src/services/auditService.test.js b/backend/src/services/auditService.test.js
index 6dba514..382ae4d 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/auditService.test.js
+++ b/backend/src/services/auditService.test.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ vi.mock("../lib/audit-security.js", () => ({
   sanitizeAuditValue: vi.fn((v) => v),
   signAuditPayload: mockSignPayload,
   validateAuditAction: mockValidateAuditAction,
+  verifyAuditSignature: mockVerifySignature,
 }));
 
 import { auditService, _resetSvcCircuitForTests } from "./auditService.js";
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ describe("auditService", () => {
     mockSignPayload.mockReset();
     mockValidateAuditAction.mockReset();
     mockValidateAuditAction.mockReturnValue(true);
+    mockVerifySignature.mockReset();
     _resetSvcCircuitForTests();
   });
 
@@ -167,6 +169,90 @@ describe("auditService", () => {
     expect(result.page).toBe(1);
   });
 
+  it("verifies matching payload hash and signature during retrieval", async () => {
+    process.env.AUDIT_LOG_SIGNING_SECRET = "test-secret";
+    mockQuery.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      rows: [
+        {
+          id: "log-1",
+          merchant_id: "merchant-1",
+          action: "update",
+          field_changed: "email",
+          old_value: "a@b.com",
+          new_value: "c@d.com",
+          ip_address: "1.2.3.4",
+          user_agent: "ua",
+          timestamp: new Date(),
+          payload_hash: "calculated-hash",
+          signature: "valid-signature",
+          total_count: "1",
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    mockHashPayload.mockReturnValue("calculated-hash");
+    mockVerifySignature.mockReturnValue(true);
+
+    const result = await auditService.getAuditLogs("merchant-1", 1, 10);
+    expect(result.logs[0].hash_verified).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.logs[0].signature_verified).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("detects mismatching/tampered hash and signature during retrieval", async () => {
+    process.env.AUDIT_LOG_SIGNING_SECRET = "test-secret";
+    mockQuery.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      rows: [
+        {
+          id: "log-2",
+          merchant_id: "merchant-1",
+          action: "update",
+          field_changed: "email",
+          old_value: "a@b.com",
+          new_value: "c@d.com",
+          ip_address: "1.2.3.4",
+          user_agent: "ua",
+          timestamp: new Date(),
+          payload_hash: "calculated-hash",
+          signature: "invalid-signature",
+          total_count: "1",
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    mockHashPayload.mockReturnValue("different-hash");
+    mockVerifySignature.mockReturnValue(false);
+
+    const result = await auditService.getAuditLogs("merchant-1", 1, 10);
+    expect(result.logs[0].hash_verified).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.logs[0].signature_verified).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("handles missing/null signatures or unset signing secret gracefully", async () => {
+    delete process.env.AUDIT_LOG_SIGNING_SECRET;
+    mockQuery.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      rows: [
+        {
+          id: "log-3",
+          merchant_id: "merchant-1",
+          action: "update",
+          field_changed: "email",
+          old_value: "a@b.com",
+          new_value: "c@d.com",
+          ip_address: "1.2.3.4",
+          user_agent: "ua",
+          timestamp: new Date(),
+          payload_hash: null,
+          signature: null,
+          total_count: "1",
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    const result = await auditService.getAuditLogs("merchant-1", 1, 10);
+    expect(result.logs[0].hash_verified).toBeNull();
+    expect(result.logs[0].signature_verified).toBeNull();
+  });
+
   // ── Action validation (issue #772) ────────────────────────────────────────
 
   it("drops logEvent calls with disallowed action values", async () => {