VAV is a local-first desktop app. Pairing secrets and API keys unlock filesystem access, shells, and provider accounts on this machine.

• API keys are stored via Electron safeStorage (OS keychain). Do not commit keys, pairing URIs, or paired-hosts.json. Revealing a stored key requires a native confirmation dialog.
• Local files: renderer IPC and vav-local:// can only read/write the watched workspace, app temp dirs (clips, office convert, working copies), and paths granted by a main-process open/save dialog.
• Daemon / remote: a valid pairing secret is equivalent to local code execution on the host. Desktop listen defaults to 127.0.0.1. Headless vavd still binds all interfaces so other devices can connect (--listen 127.0.0.1 for loopback-only). Treat the pairing line like a password.
• CLI agents may be launched with workspace-trust / skip-permission flags from Settings. Review those defaults before pointing VAV at a sensitive tree.

Email licensing@21stware.com with steps to reproduce. Please do not open a public issue for unpatched RCE or secret-disclosure bugs.