diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 2a67936..e378802 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
     libxrandr2 \
     xdg-utils \
     dumb-init \
+    gosu \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Set Chrome executable path for Puppeteer
@@ -73,9 +74,9 @@ COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./dist
 RUN mkdir -p ./data/sessions ./data/media && \
     chown -R openwa:openwa /app
 
-# Note: Running as root to allow Docker socket access for orchestration
-# For production with stricter security, consider using a Docker socket proxy
-# USER openwa
+# Copy entrypoint script (runs as root to fix volume permissions, then drops to openwa)
+COPY docker-entrypoint.sh /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh
+RUN chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh
 
 # Expose port
 EXPOSE 2785
@@ -84,6 +85,6 @@ EXPOSE 2785
 HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=10s --start-period=30s --retries=3 \
     CMD node -e "require('http').get('http://localhost:2785/api/health', (r) => process.exit(r.statusCode === 200 ? 0 : 1))"
 
-# Start with dumb-init to handle signals properly
-ENTRYPOINT ["dumb-init", "--"]
+# Entrypoint: fixes volume permissions as root, then drops to openwa user via gosu
+ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh"]
 CMD ["node", "dist/main"]
diff --git a/dashboard/nginx.conf b/dashboard/nginx.conf
index 0905812..5f30d18 100644
--- a/dashboard/nginx.conf
+++ b/dashboard/nginx.conf
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ server {
 
     # Proxy API requests to backend
     location /api/ {
-        proxy_pass http://openwa:2785;
+        proxy_pass http://openwa-api:2785;
         proxy_http_version 1.1;
         proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
         proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ server {
 
     # WebSocket proxy
     location /socket.io/ {
-        proxy_pass http://openwa:2785;
+        proxy_pass http://openwa-api:2785;
         proxy_http_version 1.1;
         proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
         proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 229ea4f..419f1e2 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,25 @@
 # Smart Orchestration with Profiles
 
 services:
+  # ===== CORE: Docker Socket Proxy (restricts Docker API access) =====
+  docker-proxy:
+    image: tecnativa/docker-socket-proxy
+    container_name: openwa-docker-proxy
+    restart: unless-stopped
+    volumes:
+      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
+    environment:
+      CONTAINERS: 1
+      IMAGES: 1
+      VOLUMES: 1
+      INFO: 1
+      PING: 1
+      POST: 1
+      DELETE: 1
+    labels:
+      - 'com.openwa.service=docker-proxy'
+      - 'com.openwa.core=true'
+
   # ===== CORE: Traefik Reverse Proxy =====
   traefik:
     image: traefik:v3.0
@@ -70,11 +89,14 @@ services:
       - PLUGINS_DIR=/app/data/plugins
       # Security
       - API_MASTER_KEY=${API_MASTER_KEY:-}
+      # Docker socket proxy (replaces direct socket mount)
+      - DOCKER_HOST=tcp://docker-proxy:2375
     volumes:
       - openwa-data:/app/data
-      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
       - ./docker-compose.yml:/app/docker-compose.yml:ro
     depends_on:
+      docker-proxy:
+        condition: service_started
       postgres:
         condition: service_healthy
         required: false
diff --git a/docker-entrypoint.sh b/docker-entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bced26d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Fix data directory permissions for named volume mounts (runs as root before dropping privileges)
+mkdir -p /app/data/sessions /app/data/media /app/data/plugins
+chown -R openwa:openwa /app/data
+
+exec gosu openwa dumb-init "$@"
diff --git a/src/app.module.ts b/src/app.module.ts
index ca4a704..e5a40c2 100644
--- a/src/app.module.ts
+++ b/src/app.module.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Module, DynamicModule, Type } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { Module, DynamicModule, Type, NestModule, MiddlewareConsumer } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { ConfigModule, ConfigService } from '@nestjs/config';
 import { TypeOrmModule } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
 import { ThrottlerModule } from '@nestjs/throttler';
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { StatsModule } from './modules/stats/stats.module';
 import { StatusModule } from './modules/status/status.module';
 import { CatalogModule } from './modules/catalog/catalog.module';
 import { HooksModule } from './core/hooks';
+import { BullBoardAuthMiddleware } from './common/security/bull-board-auth.middleware';
 import { PluginsModule } from './core/plugins';
 import { PluginsApiModule } from './modules/plugins/plugins.module';
 
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ if (process.env.QUEUE_ENABLED === 'true') {
 }
 
 @Module({
+  providers: [BullBoardAuthMiddleware],
   imports: [
     // Configuration
     ConfigModule.forRoot({
@@ -161,4 +163,8 @@ if (process.env.QUEUE_ENABLED === 'true') {
     PluginsApiModule, // Phase 5: Plugins API
   ],
 })
-export class AppModule {}
+export class AppModule implements NestModule {
+  configure(consumer: MiddlewareConsumer): void {
+    consumer.apply(BullBoardAuthMiddleware).forRoutes('/admin/queues');
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/common/security/bull-board-auth.middleware.ts b/src/common/security/bull-board-auth.middleware.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..64344c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/security/bull-board-auth.middleware.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { Injectable, NestMiddleware } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { Request, Response, NextFunction } from 'express';
+import { AuthService } from '../../modules/auth/auth.service';
+import { ApiKeyRole } from '../../modules/auth/entities/api-key.entity';
+
+@Injectable()
+export class BullBoardAuthMiddleware implements NestMiddleware {
+  constructor(private readonly authService: AuthService) {}
+
+  async use(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction): Promise<void> {
+    const xApiKey = req.headers['x-api-key'] as string;
+    const authHeader = req.headers['authorization'];
+    const rawKey = xApiKey || (authHeader?.startsWith('Bearer ') ? authHeader.substring(7) : undefined);
+
+    if (!rawKey) {
+      res.status(401).json({ message: 'API key required' });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const apiKey = await this.authService.validateApiKey(rawKey);
+      if (!this.authService.hasPermission(apiKey, ApiKeyRole.ADMIN)) {
+        res.status(403).json({ message: 'Admin role required' });
+        return;
+      }
+      next();
+    } catch {
+      res.status(401).json({ message: 'Invalid API key' });
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/modules/docker/docker.service.ts b/src/modules/docker/docker.service.ts
index 63cba17..19fafd7 100644
--- a/src/modules/docker/docker.service.ts
+++ b/src/modules/docker/docker.service.ts
@@ -71,13 +71,23 @@ export class DockerService implements OnModuleInit {
 
   private async initializeDocker(): Promise<void> {
     try {
-      this.docker = new Docker({ socketPath: '/var/run/docker.sock' });
+      const dockerHost = process.env.DOCKER_HOST;
+      if (dockerHost?.startsWith('tcp://')) {
+        const url = new URL(dockerHost);
+        this.docker = new Docker({
+          host: url.hostname,
+          port: parseInt(url.port, 10) || 2375,
+          protocol: 'http' as const,
+        });
+      } else {
+        this.docker = new Docker({ socketPath: '/var/run/docker.sock' });
+      }
       await this.docker.ping();
       this.isAvailable = true;
       this.logger.log('Docker API connected successfully');
     } catch (error) {
       this.logger.warn(
-        'Docker socket not available. Container orchestration disabled.',
+        'Docker not available. Container orchestration disabled.',
         error instanceof Error ? error.message : error,
       );
       this.isAvailable = false;