diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7a07c41..e5d2d04 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ node_modules/
 .wrangler/
 .hermes/
 *.log
+.env
+.env.*
diff --git a/the-unit/api/src/allowlist.ts b/the-unit/api/src/allowlist.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5220cc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/the-unit/api/src/allowlist.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import type { NextFunction, Response } from "express";
+import type { AuthedRequest } from "./auth.js";
+import { logger } from "./logger.js";
+
+const ALLOWED_EMAILS_RAW = process.env.ALLOWED_EMAILS ?? "";
+
+const allowedEmails: Set<string> = new Set(
+  ALLOWED_EMAILS_RAW.split(",")
+    .map((e) => e.trim().toLowerCase())
+    .filter(Boolean),
+);
+
+/**
+ * Rejects requests from users whose email is not in the allowlist.
+ * When ALLOWED_EMAILS is unset or empty, ALL authenticated users are blocked
+ * (fail-closed) to prevent open proxy abuse.
+ */
+export function enforceAllowlist(
+  req: AuthedRequest,
+  res: Response,
+  next: NextFunction,
+): void {
+  const email = req.email?.toLowerCase() ?? "";
+
+  if (allowedEmails.size === 0) {
+    logger.warn({ uid: req.uid, email }, "allowlist_empty_all_blocked");
+    res.status(403).json({ error: "service_not_configured" });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (!allowedEmails.has(email)) {
+    logger.warn({ uid: req.uid, email }, "user_not_in_allowlist");
+    res.status(403).json({ error: "not_authorized" });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  next();
+}
diff --git a/the-unit/api/src/index.ts b/the-unit/api/src/index.ts
index a55a86b..840e031 100644
--- a/the-unit/api/src/index.ts
+++ b/the-unit/api/src/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import express from "express";
 import { pinoHttp } from "pino-http";
 import { requireFirebaseAuth } from "./auth.js";
+import { enforceAllowlist } from "./allowlist.js";
 import { enforceDailyCap } from "./rateLimit.js";
 import { logger } from "./logger.js";
 import { anthropicRouter } from "./providers/anthropic.js";
@@ -18,10 +19,10 @@ export function buildApp(): express.Express {
     res.json({ ok: true, service: "gumption-api" });
   });
 
-  app.use("/v1/anthropic", requireFirebaseAuth, enforceDailyCap, anthropicRouter);
-  app.use("/v1/openai", requireFirebaseAuth, enforceDailyCap, openaiRouter);
-  app.use("/v1/xai", requireFirebaseAuth, enforceDailyCap, xaiRouter);
-  app.use("/v1/gemini", requireFirebaseAuth, enforceDailyCap, geminiRouter);
+  app.use("/v1/anthropic", requireFirebaseAuth, enforceAllowlist, enforceDailyCap, anthropicRouter);
+  app.use("/v1/openai", requireFirebaseAuth, enforceAllowlist, enforceDailyCap, openaiRouter);
+  app.use("/v1/xai", requireFirebaseAuth, enforceAllowlist, enforceDailyCap, xaiRouter);
+  app.use("/v1/gemini", requireFirebaseAuth, enforceAllowlist, enforceDailyCap, geminiRouter);
 
   app.use((_req, res) => {
     res.status(404).json({ error: "not_found" });
diff --git a/the-unit/scripts/deploy-gcp.sh b/the-unit/scripts/deploy-gcp.sh
index 2f59cba..fb57324 100755
--- a/the-unit/scripts/deploy-gcp.sh
+++ b/the-unit/scripts/deploy-gcp.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ for SECRET in anthropic-key:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY openai-key:OPENAI_API_KEY xai-key:
 done
 SECRETS_ARG="${SECRETS_ARG%,}"
 
-ENV_VARS="GCP_PROJECT=${PROJECT_ID},GCP_REGION=${REGION},DAILY_TOKEN_CAP=${DAILY_TOKEN_CAP}"
+ALLOWED_EMAILS="${ALLOWED_EMAILS:-bryan@norcalcarbmobile.com}"
+ENV_VARS="GCP_PROJECT=${PROJECT_ID},GCP_REGION=${REGION},DAILY_TOKEN_CAP=${DAILY_TOKEN_CAP},ALLOWED_EMAILS=${ALLOWED_EMAILS}"
 
 CMD=(
   gcloud run deploy "$SERVICE"
diff --git a/workers/silverback-ai-studio/server.ts b/workers/silverback-ai-studio/server.ts
index bcd8500..255cb12 100644
--- a/workers/silverback-ai-studio/server.ts
+++ b/workers/silverback-ai-studio/server.ts
@@ -4,10 +4,13 @@ import { WebSocketServer, WebSocket } from "ws";
 import { createServer as createViteServer } from "vite";
 import path from "path";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "url";
+import { GoogleGenAI } from "@google/genai";
 
 const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
 const __dirname = path.dirname(__filename);
 
+const ALERT_SECRET = process.env.ALERT_SECRET || "";
+
 async function startServer() {
   const app = express();
   const server = createServer(app);
@@ -39,8 +42,48 @@ async function startServer() {
     });
   };
 
-  // API to trigger high-severity alerts (for testing/demo)
+  // Server-side AI analysis — keeps GEMINI_API_KEY off the client
+  app.post("/api/analyze", async (req, res) => {
+    const apiKey = process.env.GEMINI_API_KEY;
+    if (!apiKey) {
+      res.status(503).json({ error: "gemini_key_not_configured" });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const { eventType, description, severity } = req.body;
+    if (!eventType || !description) {
+      res.status(400).json({ error: "missing_fields" });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const ai = new GoogleGenAI({ apiKey });
+      const response = await ai.models.generateContent({
+        model: "gemini-3-flash-preview",
+        contents: `Analyze this security event clip description and provide a more detailed, professional security assessment.
+        Event Type: ${eventType}
+        Initial Description: ${description}
+        Severity: ${severity || "unknown"}
+        
+        Provide a detailed breakdown of what might be happening, potential risks, and recommended actions. Keep it concise but professional.`,
+      });
+
+      const analysis = response.text || "No analysis available.";
+      res.json({ analysis });
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error("AI analysis failed:", err);
+      res.status(500).json({ error: "analysis_failed" });
+    }
+  });
+
+  // API to trigger high-severity alerts — requires shared secret
   app.post("/api/trigger-alert", (req, res) => {
+    const authHeader = req.header("x-alert-secret") || "";
+    if (!ALERT_SECRET || authHeader !== ALERT_SECRET) {
+      res.status(401).json({ error: "unauthorized" });
+      return;
+    }
+
     const { type, description, severity, location } = req.body;
 
     if (severity === 'high' || severity === 'critical') {
diff --git a/workers/silverback-ai-studio/src/App.tsx b/workers/silverback-ai-studio/src/App.tsx
index 76017d2..1de7f0e 100644
--- a/workers/silverback-ai-studio/src/App.tsx
+++ b/workers/silverback-ai-studio/src/App.tsx
@@ -540,21 +540,24 @@ export default function App() {
     setIsAnalyzing(event.id);
 
     try {
-      const ai = new GoogleGenAI({ apiKey: process.env.GEMINI_API_KEY });
-      const response = await ai.models.generateContent({
-        model: "gemini-3-flash-preview",
-        contents: `Analyze this security event clip description and provide a more detailed, professional security assessment. 
-        Event Type: ${event.type}
-        Initial Description: ${event.description}
-        Severity: ${event.severity}
-        
-        Provide a detailed breakdown of what might be happening, potential risks, and recommended actions. Keep it concise but professional.`,
+      const res = await fetch("/api/analyze", {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+        body: JSON.stringify({
+          eventType: event.type,
+          description: event.description,
+          severity: event.severity,
+        }),
       });
 
-      const analysis = response.text || "No analysis available.";
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        throw new Error(`Analysis request failed: ${res.status}`);
+      }
+
+      const { analysis } = await res.json();
       
       const eventRef = doc(db, 'event_logs', event.id);
-      await updateDoc(eventRef, { aiAnalysis: analysis });
+      await updateDoc(eventRef, { aiAnalysis: analysis || "No analysis available." });
     } catch (error) {
       console.error("AI Analysis failed:", error);
       handleFirestoreError(error, OperationType.UPDATE, `event_logs/${event.id}`);
diff --git a/workers/silverback-ai-studio/vite.config.ts b/workers/silverback-ai-studio/vite.config.ts
index 6b1fbc3..c1d3e04 100644
--- a/workers/silverback-ai-studio/vite.config.ts
+++ b/workers/silverback-ai-studio/vite.config.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,11 @@
 import tailwindcss from '@tailwindcss/vite';
 import react from '@vitejs/plugin-react';
 import path from 'path';
-import {defineConfig, loadEnv} from 'vite';
+import {defineConfig} from 'vite';
 
-export default defineConfig(({mode}) => {
-  const env = loadEnv(mode, '.', '');
+export default defineConfig(() => {
   return {
     plugins: [react(), tailwindcss()],
-    define: {
-      'process.env.GEMINI_API_KEY': JSON.stringify(env.GEMINI_API_KEY),
-    },
     resolve: {
       alias: {
         '@': path.resolve(__dirname, '.'),