diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index aa5ded91b3..3a421d197e 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@
 
 # MAX_DATACLIP_SIZE_MB=10
 
-# WORKER_RUNS_PRIVATE_KEY="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"
-# WORKER_SECRET="dECXNlqctXJ/a+1FI4AaeLZY4Rp+Pxo23WwmJxC2xew="
+# WORKER_RUNS_PRIVATE_KEY="generate with: mix lightning.gen_worker_keys"
+# WORKER_SECRET="generate with: mix lightning.gen_worker_keys"
 
 # Start your app with RTM=false to manage your runtime manually. You might be
 # doing this so that you can run `ws-worker` by hand on a local branch, rather
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 378505f141..f9ad205235 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ and this project adheres to
 
 ### Added
 
+- Add SECURITY.md with vulnerability reporting policy, supported versions, and
+  security best practices for self-hosted deployments
+  [#XXXX](https://github.com/OpenFn/lightning/issues/XXXX)
+
 ### Changed
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/SECURITY.md b/SECURITY.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c391368697
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SECURITY.md
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# Security Policy
+
+## Reporting a Vulnerability
+
+If you discover a security vulnerability in OpenFn Lightning, please do 
+**not** open a public GitHub issue.
+
+Instead, please report it by emailing the core team at:
+**security@openfn.org**
+
+Please include:
+- A description of the vulnerability
+- Steps to reproduce the issue
+- Potential impact
+- Any suggested fixes if you have them
+
+We will acknowledge your report within 48 hours and aim to release a fix 
+within 30 days depending on severity.
+
+## Supported Versions
+
+| Version | Supported |
+|---|---|
+| Latest release | ✅ |
+| Older versions | ❌ |
+
+## Security Best Practices for Self-Hosted Deployments
+
+- Always generate fresh keys using `mix lightning.gen_worker_keys` — 
+  never use the example values from `.env.example`
+- Set `PRIMARY_ENCRYPTION_KEY` using `mix lightning.gen_encryption_key`
+- Restrict the metrics endpoint with `PROMEX_METRICS_ENDPOINT_TOKEN`
+- Never expose port 4000 directly to the internet — use a reverse proxy
+- Enable SSL in production via `URL_SCHEME=https`