diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 407bfca..24ccba5 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package config
 import (
 	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -245,15 +246,25 @@ func loadBudget() (BudgetConfig, error) {
 	if loops, err = envInt64("RISKKERNEL_DEFAULT_LOOPS"); err != nil {
 		return b, err
 	}
-	b.Loops = int32(loops)
+	b.Loops = clampInt32(loops)
 	var secs int64
 	if secs, err = envInt64("RISKKERNEL_DEFAULT_SECONDS"); err != nil {
 		return b, err
 	}
-	b.Seconds = int32(secs)
+	b.Seconds = clampInt32(secs)
 	return b, nil
 }
 
+// clampInt32 narrows a non-negative int64 to int32, bounding it at math.MaxInt32
+// so an out-of-range value can't silently overflow on conversion (envInt64
+// already rejects negatives).
+func clampInt32(v int64) int32 {
+	if v > math.MaxInt32 {
+		return math.MaxInt32
+	}
+	return int32(v)
+}
+
 func envInt64(key string) (int64, error) {
 	v := os.Getenv(key)
 	if v == "" {
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index 3fb668e..4311a48 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -1,11 +1,31 @@
 package config
 
 import (
+	"math"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 )
 
+func TestLoad_BudgetClampsInt32Overflow(t *testing.T) {
+	withCleanEnv(t)
+	chdirTemp(t)
+	// A value beyond int32 must clamp to MaxInt32, not silently overflow/wrap.
+	t.Setenv("RISKKERNEL_DEFAULT_LOOPS", "5000000000") // > math.MaxInt32
+	t.Setenv("RISKKERNEL_DEFAULT_SECONDS", "5000000000")
+
+	cfg, err := Load()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Load: %v", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.DefaultBudget.Loops != math.MaxInt32 {
+		t.Errorf("Loops = %d, want clamp to %d", cfg.DefaultBudget.Loops, int32(math.MaxInt32))
+	}
+	if cfg.DefaultBudget.Seconds != math.MaxInt32 {
+		t.Errorf("Seconds = %d, want clamp to %d", cfg.DefaultBudget.Seconds, int32(math.MaxInt32))
+	}
+}
+
 func TestLoad_Defaults(t *testing.T) {
 	withCleanEnv(t)
 	chdirTemp(t) // no .env present
diff --git a/internal/memory/reader.go b/internal/memory/reader.go
index 47d7340..79e8e67 100644
--- a/internal/memory/reader.go
+++ b/internal/memory/reader.go
@@ -163,9 +163,20 @@ func (r *Reader) resolveFile(namespace, name string) (string, error) {
 	return r.safeJoin(filepath.Join(namespace, name))
 }
 
-// safeJoin joins rel under the root and guarantees the result stays within it.
+// safeJoin joins a user-supplied relative path under the root and guarantees the
+// result cannot escape it. The cleaned path is validated with filepath.IsLocal —
+// which rejects absolute paths, "..", and anything that would escape the base
+// (and which static analysis recognizes as a path-traversal sanitizer) — backed
+// by a prefix check as defense in depth.
 func (r *Reader) safeJoin(rel string) (string, error) {
-	joined := filepath.Clean(filepath.Join(r.root, rel))
+	clean := filepath.Clean(rel)
+	if clean == "." { // the root itself (e.g. an empty namespace)
+		return r.root, nil
+	}
+	if !filepath.IsLocal(clean) {
+		return "", ErrUnsafePath
+	}
+	joined := filepath.Join(r.root, clean)
 	if joined != r.root && !strings.HasPrefix(joined, r.root+string(os.PathSeparator)) {
 		return "", ErrUnsafePath
 	}