diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9feb92f1..8d7f61e1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [v0.51.183] — 2026-05-31 — Release FC (stage-batchC — inline file:// media artifacts + /api/media state-file confinement)
+
+### Fixed
+- Render assistant-emitted `file://` image artifact links inline through the authenticated `/api/media` route, so browser clients can view generated local images instead of seeing unusable server-local file paths. Only bare (line-start or whitespace-delimited) `file://` URLs are rewritten — `[label](file://...)` markdown anchors keep the normal link path (#3219).
+
+### Security
+- `/api/media` now hard-denies WebUI state and secret/config files even when they fall under an allowed root (the WebUI state dir, `settings.json`, `state.db`, `auth.json`, `auth.lock`, `config.yaml`, `.env`, signing/PBKDF2 keys, the `sessions`/`memories`/`profiles` state subdirs). Previously the whole Hermes home was an allowed root, so an authenticated session viewing attacker-influenced agent output that emitted a `file://`/`MEDIA:` link to such a file could fetch it. Hardened the boundary at the route for every entry path (bare `file://`, markdown anchors, and `MEDIA:` tokens), closing #3234.
+
 ## [v0.51.182] — 2026-05-31 — Release FB (stage-batchB2 — headless browser smoke gate + consolidated client-disconnect handling)
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/api/routes.py b/api/routes.py
index 74d15740..fa6c7557 100644
--- a/api/routes.py
+++ b/api/routes.py
@@ -8083,6 +8083,177 @@ def _handle_media(handler, parsed):
         target,
         _INLINE_IMAGE_TYPES,
     )
+
+    # ── #3234: hard-deny Hermes's own state + secret/config files ────────────
+    # The allowlist above grants the whole Hermes home (and base ~/.hermes), so
+    # an authenticated session rendering attacker-influenced agent output that
+    # emits a file:// / MEDIA: link to a state/secret file could fetch it
+    # through /api/media. This guard runs BEFORE the allow/serve decision so it
+    # covers every entry path (bare file:// URLs, markdown anchors, MEDIA:
+    # tokens, and session-token grants).
+    #
+    # Model: the ACTIVE WORKSPACE is a legitimate-media carve-out — the user is
+    # entitled to their own workspace files (that is also how the workspace file
+    # browser reaches them), even when a workspace happens to live under a
+    # Hermes root. The deny rules target Hermes's OWN internal state, which lives
+    # OUTSIDE any workspace. So: if the target is inside the active workspace, it
+    # is never denied here; otherwise we deny known secret/config basenames and
+    # the internal state subdirectories across every Hermes root the allowlist
+    # accepts (active-profile HERMES_HOME, base ~/.hermes, the api.profiles
+    # default home, and STATE_DIR — which also defends sibling profiles).
+    _DENY_FILENAMES = {
+        "settings.json", "state.db", "state.db-wal", "state.db-shm",
+        "auth.json", "auth.lock", "config.yaml", "config.yml", ".env",
+        ".signing_key", ".pbkdf2_key", ".sessions.json",
+        "google_token.json", "google_client_secret.json",
+        "gateway_state.json", "channel_directory.json", "jobs.json",
+        "passkeys.json", ".passkey_challenges.json", ".login_attempts.json",
+    }
+    # Internal state subdirs that are sensitive in their entirety. NOTE:
+    # `profiles` is intentionally NOT here — it is a container of profile roots,
+    # each of which has its own legitimate workspace/. We instead enumerate each
+    # named-profile root below and deny ITS state subdirs, so a sibling profile's
+    # secrets are blocked without 403-ing a named-profile workspace. (#3234.)
+    _DENY_SUBDIRS = (
+        "sessions", "memories", "cron", "logs",
+        "checkpoints", "backups",
+    )
+    _state_dir = None
+    try:
+        from api.config import STATE_DIR as _STATE_DIR
+        _state_dir = Path(_STATE_DIR).resolve()
+    except Exception:
+        _state_dir = None
+    _base_hermes_home = None
+    try:
+        from api.profiles import _DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME as _BASE_HH
+        _base_hermes_home = Path(_BASE_HH).resolve()
+    except Exception:
+        _base_hermes_home = None
+    _hermes_roots = []
+    for _r in (
+        _HERMES_HOME.resolve(),
+        (_HOME / ".hermes").resolve(),
+        _base_hermes_home,
+        _state_dir,
+    ):
+        if _r is not None and _r not in _hermes_roots:
+            _hermes_roots.append(_r)
+    # Enumerate named-profile roots (<root>/profiles/<name>) and treat each as a
+    # Hermes root in its own right, so a sibling/other profile's sensitive subdirs
+    # + secret files are denied — WITHOUT denying the whole `profiles` container
+    # (which would block a legit named-profile workspace at
+    # <root>/profiles/<name>/workspace/). (Codex review #3234.)
+    _profile_roots = []
+    for _root in list(_hermes_roots):
+        _profiles_dir = (_root / "profiles")
+        try:
+            if _profiles_dir.is_dir():
+                for _pchild in _profiles_dir.iterdir():
+                    if _pchild.is_dir():
+                        _pr = _pchild.resolve()
+                        if _pr not in _hermes_roots and _pr not in _profile_roots:
+                            _profile_roots.append(_pr)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+    _hermes_roots.extend(_profile_roots)
+
+    # Case-insensitive path helpers so STATE.DB / Sessions/ casing variants
+    # cannot bypass the deny on macOS/Windows filesystems (Codex review #3234).
+    def _norm(p):
+        return os.path.normcase(str(Path(p).resolve())).casefold()
+    def _within_ci(child, root):
+        try:
+            c, r = _norm(child), _norm(root)
+            return os.path.commonpath([c, r]) == r
+        except (ValueError, OSError):
+            return False
+    def _equal_ci(a, b):
+        try:
+            return _norm(a) == _norm(b)
+        except (ValueError, OSError):
+            return False
+
+    # State-subdir deny set: each DENY_SUBDIR directly under any Hermes root
+    # (which includes STATE_DIR — so STATE_DIR/sessions, STATE_DIR/memories,
+    # etc. are covered). These ALWAYS apply — even to a file under the active
+    # workspace — so a workspace pointed at (or overlapping) a state dir cannot
+    # expose sessions/memories/profiles/etc. We do NOT deny STATE_DIR itself
+    # wholesale: the default workspace lives at STATE_DIR/workspace, and that is
+    # legitimate user media — direct sensitive files there are still caught by
+    # the filename denies below. (Codex review #3234.)
+    _deny_dirs = []
+    for _root in _hermes_roots:
+        for _sub in _DENY_SUBDIRS:
+            _deny_dirs.append((_root / _sub).resolve())
+        # Per-profile WebUI state lives at <root>/webui_state (api/workspace.py),
+        # so its state subdirs (<root>/webui_state/sessions, etc.) must be denied
+        # too — they are NOT direct children of <root>. (Codex review #3234.)
+        _ws_state = (_root / "webui_state")
+        for _sub in _DENY_SUBDIRS:
+            _deny_dirs.append((_ws_state / _sub).resolve())
+    _deny_names_ci = {n.casefold() for n in _DENY_FILENAMES}
+
+    # Active-workspace carve-out: a file inside a genuine PROJECT workspace is
+    # the user's own content, so the secret/config FILENAME denies are relaxed
+    # for it. The carve-out is DISABLED when the workspace is a broad/internal
+    # location ($HOME, a Hermes root itself, an ANCESTOR of a Hermes root, a
+    # */profiles dir, a named-profile root, or a state subdir) — honoring those
+    # would re-open the disclosure. A workspace that is a proper DESCENDANT of a
+    # Hermes root (e.g. STATE_DIR/workspace) is still a legit project workspace
+    # and keeps the carve-out. The dir-based denies above are NOT relaxed.
+    _active_workspace = None
+    try:
+        from api.workspace import get_last_workspace
+        _aw = Path(get_last_workspace()).resolve()
+        if _aw.is_dir():
+            _active_workspace = _aw
+    except Exception:
+        _active_workspace = None
+
+    def _workspace_is_safe_carveout(ws):
+        if ws is None:
+            return False
+        if _equal_ci(ws, _HOME):
+            return False
+        for _root in _hermes_roots:
+            # ws IS a root, or ws is an ANCESTOR of a root → unsafe. (A proper
+            # descendant of a root is fine — that's a normal project workspace.)
+            if _equal_ci(ws, _root) or _within_ci(_root, ws):
+                return False
+        if ws.name == "profiles" or ws.parent.name == "profiles":
+            return False
+        if ws.name in _DENY_SUBDIRS:
+            return False
+        return True
+
+    _in_active_workspace = (
+        _active_workspace is not None
+        and _workspace_is_safe_carveout(_active_workspace)
+        and _within_ci(target, _active_workspace)
+    )
+
+    # Dir-based denies always fire (even inside the active workspace).
+    if any(_within_ci(target, d) for d in _deny_dirs):
+        return bad(handler, "Path not in allowed location", 403)
+    # Filename-based denies fire for files under a Hermes root, UNLESS the file
+    # is inside a genuine project workspace (carve-out).
+    if not _in_active_workspace:
+        _under_hermes_root = any(_within_ci(target, _root) for _root in _hermes_roots)
+        _name_cf = target.name.casefold()
+        # Exact secret/state basenames, plus atomic-write temp files for those
+        # (api/auth.py and api/passkeys.py write via a `tmp*.<name>.tmp` / `tmp*.tmp`
+        # sidecar then rename) — deny those suffixes too so a momentary temp file
+        # cannot be fetched. (Codex review #3234.)
+        _deny_tmp_suffixes = (".sessions.tmp", ".login_attempts.tmp",
+                              ".passkeys.tmp", ".passkey_challenges.tmp")
+        if _under_hermes_root and (
+            _name_cf in _deny_names_ci
+            or _name_cf.endswith(_deny_tmp_suffixes)
+        ):
+            return bad(handler, "Path not in allowed location", 403)
+    # ── end #3234 deny ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
     if not within_allowed and not session_media_allowed:
         return bad(handler, "Path not in allowed location", 403)
 
diff --git a/static/ui.js b/static/ui.js
index 4ca46c0f..a002f18b 100644
--- a/static/ui.js
+++ b/static/ui.js
@@ -3110,6 +3110,17 @@ function renderMd(raw){
   // backticks for multiline code and break subsequent code-box rendering.
   const rawPreStash=[];
   s=s.replace(/(<pre\b[^>]*>[\s\S]*?<\/pre>)/gi,m=>{rawPreStash.push(m);return `\x00R${rawPreStash.length-1}\x00`;});
+  // Bare file:// artifact links → media. Some gateway/tool surfaces emit bare
+  // file:// links for local artifacts instead of MEDIA: tokens; browser clients
+  // cannot open the server filesystem directly, so route them through /api/media.
+  // Runs AFTER fenced-block (\x00P), inline-code (\x00F), AND raw-<pre> (\x00R)
+  // stashing so a file:// inside any code/preformatted region stays literal text
+  // (#3219/#3234). Only bare URLs (line-start or whitespace-delimited) match, so
+  // normal [label](file://...) markdown anchors keep the link path below.
+  s=s.replace(/(^|\s)(file:\/\/[^\s<>"')\]]+)/g,(_,lead,raw_ref)=>{
+    media_stash.push(raw_ref);
+    return lead+'\x00D'+(media_stash.length-1)+'\x00';
+  });
   s=s.replace(/<strong>([\s\S]*?)<\/strong>/gi,(_,t)=>'**'+t+'**');
   s=s.replace(/<b>([\s\S]*?)<\/b>/gi,(_,t)=>'**'+t+'**');
   s=s.replace(/<em>([\s\S]*?)<\/em>/gi,(_,t)=>'*'+t+'*');
@@ -3449,7 +3460,7 @@ function renderMd(raw){
   s=s.replace(/\x00E(\d+)\x00/g,(_,i)=>_pre_stash[+i]);
   // ── Restore MEDIA stash → inline images or download links ─────────────────
   s=s.replace(/\x00D(\d+)\x00/g,(_,i)=>{
-    const ref=media_stash[+i];
+    let ref=media_stash[+i];
     // Keep this logic self-contained: some tests extract renderMd() alone and
     // execute it in node, without the top-level helper functions from ui.js.
     const mediaKindForName=(name='')=>{
@@ -3468,6 +3479,15 @@ function renderMd(raw){
         : `<audio class="msg-media-player msg-media-audio" src="${safeSrc}" controls preload="metadata" title="${safeName}"></audio>`;
       return `<div class="msg-media-editor msg-media-editor--${kind}" data-media-kind="${kind}">${tag}<div class="msg-media-meta"><span class="msg-media-name">${safeName}</span></div></div>`;
     };
+    if(/^file:\/\//i.test(ref)){
+      try{
+        const u=new URL(ref);
+        ref=decodeURIComponent(u.pathname||ref.replace(/^file:\/\//i,''));
+      }catch(_){
+        try{ref=decodeURIComponent(ref.replace(/^file:\/\//i,''));}
+        catch(__){ref=ref.replace(/^file:\/\//i,'');}
+      }
+    }
     // HTTP(S) URL
     if(/^https?:\/\//i.test(ref)){
       // Rewrite localhost/127.0.0.1 to the actual server base URL so remote
diff --git a/tests/test_issue1800_file_html_interactions.py b/tests/test_issue1800_file_html_interactions.py
index 995c24be..0bee348a 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue1800_file_html_interactions.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue1800_file_html_interactions.py
@@ -68,10 +68,13 @@ def test_html_media_open_full_uses_inline_new_tab_not_download():
 
 def test_media_html_inline_keeps_csp_sandbox():
     """api/media may serve HTML inline only behind a CSP sandbox."""
-    # Slice widened to 5000 (was 4000) after PR #2044 added MEDIA_ALLOWED_ROOTS
-    # parsing earlier in _handle_media, which pushed the CSP block past the
-    # original window. The assertion is structural, not positional.
-    body = _slice_after(ROUTES_PY, "def _handle_media", 5000)
+    # Slice widened to 16000 (was 5000) after the #3234 security work landed a
+    # multi-profile-aware deny-list + named-profile-root enumeration +
+    # active-workspace carve-out + safety gate earlier in _handle_media, pushing
+    # the CSP block to ~12100 chars past the def. (Originally widened 4000→5000
+    # for PR #2044's MEDIA_ALLOWED_ROOTS parsing.) The assertion is structural,
+    # not positional — generous headroom avoids re-breaking on small future edits.
+    body = _slice_after(ROUTES_PY, "def _handle_media", 16000)
     assert 'html_inline_ok = inline_preview and mime == "text/html"' in body
     assert 'csp = "sandbox allow-scripts" if html_inline_ok else None' in body
     assert "csp=csp" in body
diff --git a/tests/test_media_inline.py b/tests/test_media_inline.py
index 621da120..9276d9be 100644
--- a/tests/test_media_inline.py
+++ b/tests/test_media_inline.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import unittest
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 from unittest import mock
 import urllib.error
+import urllib.parse
 import urllib.request
 
 from tests._pytest_port import BASE, TEST_STATE_DIR
@@ -41,6 +42,15 @@ class TestMediaRenderMdStash(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn("MEDIA:", UI_JS,
                       "MEDIA: token regex must be present in renderMd()")
 
+    def test_bare_file_urls_are_stashed_as_media_artifacts(self):
+        self.assertIn("file:// links for local artifacts", UI_JS)
+        self.assertIn("file:\\/\\/[^\\s<>", UI_JS)
+
+    def test_file_urls_are_rewritten_through_media_endpoint(self):
+        self.assertIn("new URL(ref)", UI_JS)
+        self.assertIn("u.pathname", UI_JS)
+        self.assertIn("api/media?path=", UI_JS)
+
     def test_media_restore_produces_img_tag(self):
         self.assertIn("msg-media-img", UI_JS,
                       "restore pass must produce <img class='msg-media-img'>")
@@ -281,6 +291,200 @@ class TestMediaEndpointUnit(unittest.TestCase):
             child.write_bytes(b"png")
             self.assertTrue(routes._path_is_within_root(child.resolve(), root))
 
+    def test_active_workspace_carveout_gated_against_hermes_roots(self):
+        """#3234: the active-workspace carve-out must NOT re-open the disclosure
+        when the active workspace is pathologically set to a broad/internal root
+        ($HOME, ~/.hermes, a profile root, etc.). A state.db sitting under such a
+        workspace must still be denied (403), not served.
+        """
+        from api import routes
+
+        class _Handler:
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.status = None
+                self._buf = []
+            def send_response(self, code):
+                self.status = code
+            def send_header(self, *a, **k):
+                pass
+            def end_headers(self):
+                pass
+            class _W:
+                def write(self_inner, b):
+                    pass
+            wfile = _W()
+
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as home:
+            hermes_home = pathlib.Path(home) / ".hermes"
+            hermes_home.mkdir(parents=True)
+            secret = hermes_home / "state.db"
+            secret.write_bytes(b"secret-state")
+            target = secret.resolve()
+
+            handler = _Handler()
+            parsed = SimpleNamespace(
+                query=f"path={urllib.parse.quote(str(target))}", path="/api/media"
+            )
+            with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {"HERMES_HOME": str(hermes_home)}), \
+                 mock.patch.object(routes, "get_last_workspace", lambda: str(hermes_home)), \
+                 mock.patch("api.auth.is_auth_enabled", lambda: False):
+                routes._handle_media(handler, parsed)
+
+            self.assertEqual(
+                handler.status, 403,
+                "state.db must stay denied even when the active workspace IS the "
+                "Hermes home (carve-out must be gated against internal roots)",
+            )
+
+    def test_active_workspace_under_state_dir_serves_but_sessions_denied(self):
+        """#3234: a workspace at STATE_DIR/workspace is legitimate user media —
+        STATE_DIR/workspace/shot.png must serve (not 403), while a sibling
+        STATE_DIR/sessions/<sid>.json (internal state) must stay denied (403).
+
+        Regression for the over-block where STATE_DIR was denied wholesale.
+        """
+        from api import routes
+
+        class _Handler:
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.status = None
+                self.headers = {}
+            def send_response(self, code):
+                self.status = code
+            def send_header(self, *a, **k):
+                pass
+            def end_headers(self):
+                pass
+            class _W:
+                def write(self_inner, b):
+                    pass
+                def flush(self_inner):
+                    pass
+            wfile = _W()
+
+        png_bytes = (
+            b'\x89PNG\r\n\x1a\n\x00\x00\x00\rIHDR\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01'
+            b'\x08\x06\x00\x00\x00\x1f\x15\xc4\x89\x00\x00\x00\nIDATx\x9cc\x00'
+            b'\x01\x00\x00\x05\x00\x01\r\n-\xb4\x00\x00\x00\x00IEND\xaeB`\x82'
+        )
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as home:
+            hermes_home = pathlib.Path(home) / ".hermes"
+            state_dir = hermes_home / "webui-state"
+            ws = state_dir / "workspace"
+            sessions = state_dir / "sessions"
+            ws.mkdir(parents=True)
+            sessions.mkdir(parents=True)
+            shot = ws / "shot.png"
+            shot.write_bytes(png_bytes)
+            sess_file = sessions / "abc.json"
+            sess_file.write_text('{"messages":[]}', encoding="utf-8")
+
+            env = {
+                "HERMES_HOME": str(hermes_home),
+                "HERMES_WEBUI_STATE_DIR": str(state_dir),
+            }
+            with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, env), \
+                 mock.patch.object(routes, "get_last_workspace", lambda: str(ws)), \
+                 mock.patch("api.auth.is_auth_enabled", lambda: False), \
+                 mock.patch("api.config.STATE_DIR", state_dir):
+                # workspace media → not blocked by the #3234 deny
+                h1 = _Handler()
+                routes._handle_media(h1, SimpleNamespace(
+                    query=f"path={urllib.parse.quote(str(shot.resolve()))}&inline=1",
+                    path="/api/media"))
+                self.assertNotEqual(
+                    h1.status, 403,
+                    "STATE_DIR/workspace/shot.png must NOT be blocked (legit media)")
+                # sessions state → still denied
+                h2 = _Handler()
+                routes._handle_media(h2, SimpleNamespace(
+                    query=f"path={urllib.parse.quote(str(sess_file.resolve()))}",
+                    path="/api/media"))
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    h2.status, 403,
+                    "STATE_DIR/sessions/abc.json must stay denied (internal state)")
+
+    def test_named_profile_workspace_serves_but_profile_secrets_denied(self):
+        """#3234: a named-profile workspace (<base>/profiles/p1/workspace) is
+        legitimate media and must serve, while that profile's secrets
+        (<base>/profiles/p1/auth.json) and a SIBLING profile's secrets
+        (<base>/profiles/other/auth.json) must stay denied (403).
+
+        Regression for the over-block where the whole `profiles` tree was denied.
+        """
+        from api import routes
+
+        class _Handler:
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.status = None
+                self.headers = {}
+            def send_response(self, code):
+                self.status = code
+            def send_header(self, *a, **k):
+                pass
+            def end_headers(self):
+                pass
+            class _W:
+                def write(self_inner, b):
+                    pass
+                def flush(self_inner):
+                    pass
+            wfile = _W()
+
+        png_bytes = (
+            b'\x89PNG\r\n\x1a\n\x00\x00\x00\rIHDR\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01'
+            b'\x08\x06\x00\x00\x00\x1f\x15\xc4\x89\x00\x00\x00\nIDATx\x9cc\x00'
+            b'\x01\x00\x00\x05\x00\x01\r\n-\xb4\x00\x00\x00\x00IEND\xaeB`\x82'
+        )
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as home:
+            base = pathlib.Path(home) / ".hermes"
+            p1_ws = base / "profiles" / "p1" / "workspace"
+            p1_ws.mkdir(parents=True)
+            (p1_ws / "shot.png").write_bytes(png_bytes)
+            p1_secret = base / "profiles" / "p1" / "auth.json"
+            p1_secret.write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+            other_secret = base / "profiles" / "other" / "auth.json"
+            other_secret.parent.mkdir(parents=True)
+            other_secret.write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+
+            active = base / "profiles" / "p1"  # active profile HERMES_HOME
+            with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {"HERMES_HOME": str(active)}), \
+                 mock.patch.object(routes, "get_last_workspace", lambda: str(p1_ws)), \
+                 mock.patch("api.auth.is_auth_enabled", lambda: False), \
+                 mock.patch("api.profiles._DEFAULT_HERMES_HOME", base):
+                # named-profile workspace media → served
+                h1 = _Handler()
+                routes._handle_media(h1, SimpleNamespace(
+                    query=f"path={urllib.parse.quote(str((p1_ws / 'shot.png').resolve()))}&inline=1",
+                    path="/api/media"))
+                self.assertNotEqual(
+                    h1.status, 403,
+                    "named-profile workspace media must NOT be blocked")
+                # this profile's own secret → denied
+                h2 = _Handler()
+                routes._handle_media(h2, SimpleNamespace(
+                    query=f"path={urllib.parse.quote(str(p1_secret.resolve()))}",
+                    path="/api/media"))
+                self.assertEqual(h2.status, 403, "profile auth.json must be denied")
+                # sibling profile's secret → denied
+                h3 = _Handler()
+                routes._handle_media(h3, SimpleNamespace(
+                    query=f"path={urllib.parse.quote(str(other_secret.resolve()))}",
+                    path="/api/media"))
+                self.assertEqual(h3.status, 403, "sibling profile auth.json must be denied")
+                # per-profile webui_state/sessions → denied (not a direct child of root)
+                ws_sess = active / "webui_state" / "sessions"
+                ws_sess.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+                ws_sess_file = ws_sess / "s1.json"
+                ws_sess_file.write_text('{"messages":[]}', encoding="utf-8")
+                h4 = _Handler()
+                routes._handle_media(h4, SimpleNamespace(
+                    query=f"path={urllib.parse.quote(str(ws_sess_file.resolve()))}",
+                    path="/api/media"))
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    h4.status, 403,
+                    "profile webui_state/sessions/*.json must be denied")
+
     def test_media_endpoints_advertise_byte_range_support(self):
         routes_src = (REPO_ROOT / "api" / "routes.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
         self.assertIn("Accept-Ranges", routes_src)
@@ -456,6 +660,79 @@ class TestMediaEndpointIntegration(unittest.TestCase):
         )
         self.assertIn(status, {403, 404})
 
+    def test_webui_state_secret_files_denied(self):
+        """#3234: /api/media must hard-deny WebUI state/secret files even though
+        they live under an allowed root (the whole Hermes home is allowed).
+
+        An authenticated session rendering attacker-influenced agent output that
+        emits a file://  or MEDIA: link to settings.json / state.db / auth.json
+        must NOT be able to fetch it through /api/media.
+        """
+        state_dir = pathlib.Path(TEST_STATE_DIR)
+        state_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        # settings.json by name (deny-by-filename)
+        settings = state_dir / "settings.json"
+        settings.write_text('{"secret":"value"}', encoding="utf-8")
+        try:
+            _, status, _ = self._get(
+                "/api/media?path=" + urllib.request.quote(str(settings.resolve()))
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                status, 403,
+                f"settings.json under the state dir must be denied, got {status}",
+            )
+        finally:
+            settings.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+
+        # a file inside the sessions/ state subdir (deny-by-dir)
+        sess_dir = state_dir / "sessions"
+        sess_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        sess_file = sess_dir / "abc123.json"
+        sess_file.write_text('{"messages":[]}', encoding="utf-8")
+        try:
+            _, status, _ = self._get(
+                "/api/media?path=" + urllib.request.quote(str(sess_file.resolve()))
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                status, 403,
+                f"files under the sessions/ state subdir must be denied, got {status}",
+            )
+        finally:
+            sess_file.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+
+    def test_deny_list_does_not_overblock_legitimate_media(self):
+        """#3234 follow-up: the state/secret deny-list must NOT block ordinary
+        media that merely shares a sensitive basename but lives OUTSIDE any
+        Hermes state root (e.g. a user artifact in /tmp named settings.json).
+
+        The deny is scoped to files under a Hermes root; a /tmp PNG named
+        settings.png — or even settings.json — is the user's own content and
+        must still be served (200), not 403.
+        """
+        png_bytes = (
+            b'\x89PNG\r\n\x1a\n\x00\x00\x00\rIHDR\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01'
+            b'\x08\x06\x00\x00\x00\x1f\x15\xc4\x89\x00\x00\x00\nIDATx\x9cc\x00'
+            b'\x01\x00\x00\x05\x00\x01\r\n-\xb4\x00\x00\x00\x00IEND\xaeB`\x82'
+        )
+        # A /tmp artifact whose stem collides with a denied basename — must serve
+        # because /tmp is not a Hermes state root.
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(
+            suffix=".png", prefix="settings_artifact_", dir="/tmp", delete=False
+        ) as f:
+            f.write(png_bytes)
+            tmp_path = f.name
+        try:
+            body, status, headers = self._get(
+                f"/api/media?path={urllib.request.quote(tmp_path)}"
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(
+                status, 200,
+                f"a /tmp PNG outside any Hermes root must serve, got {status}",
+            )
+            self.assertIn("image/png", headers.get("Content-Type", ""))
+        finally:
+            pathlib.Path(tmp_path).unlink(missing_ok=True)
+
     def test_health_check_still_works(self):
         """Sanity: server is up and /health works."""
         body, status, _ = self._get("/health")
diff --git a/tests/test_renderer_js_behaviour.py b/tests/test_renderer_js_behaviour.py
index 72a33485..5c92eb7b 100644
--- a/tests/test_renderer_js_behaviour.py
+++ b/tests/test_renderer_js_behaviour.py
@@ -702,3 +702,33 @@ class TestHeadingLevelsH1ThroughH6:
         assert "<h4><strong>bold</strong> in h4</h4>" in out, (
             f"inline markdown inside h4 must still render: {out!r}"
         )
+
+
+class TestBareFileUrlMediaRendering:
+    """#3219/#3234: bare file:// artifact links render as media, but file://
+    inside fenced/inline code stays literal (the new pass runs AFTER code-stash)."""
+
+    def test_bare_file_url_becomes_media(self, driver_path):
+        out = _render(driver_path, "Here is the screenshot file:///tmp/shot.png done")
+        # Routed through /api/media as an inline image, not left as a raw path.
+        assert "api/media?path=" in out
+        assert "msg-media-img" in out or "<img" in out
+
+    def test_file_url_inside_fenced_code_stays_literal(self, driver_path):
+        out = _render(driver_path, "```\nfile:///tmp/shot.png\n```")
+        # Inside a code fence it must remain literal text, NOT become an <img>.
+        assert "file:///tmp/shot.png" in out
+        assert "<img" not in out
+        assert "api/media?path=" not in out
+
+    def test_file_url_inside_inline_code_stays_literal(self, driver_path):
+        out = _render(driver_path, "run `open file:///tmp/shot.png` now")
+        assert "file:///tmp/shot.png" in out
+        assert "<img" not in out
+        assert "api/media?path=" not in out
+
+    def test_markdown_anchor_file_link_uses_link_path_not_media(self, driver_path):
+        out = _render(driver_path, "[the file](file:///tmp/shot.png)")
+        # Labeled anchors keep the normal link path (routed to /api/media as a link,
+        # not auto-loaded as an <img>).
+        assert "<img" not in out