diff --git a/.github/workflows/group-apps-packages-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/group-apps-packages-ci.yml
index 715c6f2..1bd6db8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/group-apps-packages-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/group-apps-packages-ci.yml
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ jobs:
           version: 11.7.0
 
       - name: Setup Node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0
+        uses: actions/setup-node@949feb2413d6458794dcd2491c4babbbce0c15c1 # v7.1.0
         with:
           node-version: 22
           cache: pnpm
diff --git a/.github/workflows/project-liminal-drift-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/project-liminal-drift-ci.yml
index f326e83..ae11b68 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/project-liminal-drift-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/project-liminal-drift-ci.yml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
           version: 11.7.0
 
       - name: Setup Node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0
+        uses: actions/setup-node@949feb2413d6458794dcd2491c4babbbce0c15c1 # v7.1.0
         with:
           node-version: 22
           cache: pnpm
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Upload browser artifacts
         if: ${{ always() && steps.browser-smoke.outcome != 'skipped' }}
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@cf430e030ddbb5b0abf93d22962f4752f3646cd9 # v7.0.2
         with:
           name: liminal-drift-browser-smoke-${{ github.run_attempt }}
           path: apps/liminal-drift/artifacts/
diff --git a/.github/workflows/project-shika-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/project-shika-ci.yml
index 133ddda..68b0355 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/project-shika-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/project-shika-ci.yml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
           version: 11.7.0
 
       - name: Setup Node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0
+        uses: actions/setup-node@949feb2413d6458794dcd2491c4babbbce0c15c1 # v7.1.0
         with:
           node-version: 22.22.2
           cache: pnpm
diff --git a/.github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-ci.yml
index b0a2ba0..b0dcb42 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-ci.yml
@@ -5,14 +5,24 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     paths:
       - "others/userscripts/youtube-auto-resume/**"
+      - "package.json"
+      - "pnpm-lock.yaml"
       - "pnpm-workspace.yaml"
+      - "patches/**"
+      - "scripts/auditDependencies*.mjs"
+      - "scripts/checkBracesSecurity.cjs"
       - ".github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-ci.yml"
   push:
     branches:
       - main
     paths:
       - "others/userscripts/youtube-auto-resume/**"
+      - "package.json"
+      - "pnpm-lock.yaml"
       - "pnpm-workspace.yaml"
+      - "patches/**"
+      - "scripts/auditDependencies*.mjs"
+      - "scripts/checkBracesSecurity.cjs"
       - ".github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-ci.yml"
 
 permissions:
@@ -40,14 +50,14 @@ jobs:
           version: 11.7.0
 
       - name: Setup Node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0
+        uses: actions/setup-node@949feb2413d6458794dcd2491c4babbbce0c15c1 # v7.1.0
         with:
           node-version: 22
           cache: pnpm
           cache-dependency-path: pnpm-lock.yaml
 
       - name: Install dependencies
-        run: pnpm --filter @cedarflake/youtube-auto-resume --fail-if-no-match install --frozen-lockfile
+        run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
 
       - name: Check userscript version
         if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
@@ -67,6 +77,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Check YouTube userscript
         run: pnpm --filter @cedarflake/youtube-auto-resume --fail-if-no-match check
 
-      - name: Audit YouTube userscript dependencies
+      - name: Audit workspace dependencies
         if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
-        run: pnpm --config.registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/ --filter @cedarflake/youtube-auto-resume --fail-if-no-match audit --audit-level high
+        run: |
+          pnpm test:dependency-audit
+          pnpm audit:dependencies
diff --git a/.github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-extension-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-extension-ci.yml
index 3c11c8f..34b0194 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-extension-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-extension-ci.yml
@@ -5,14 +5,24 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     paths:
       - "apps/youtube-auto-resume-extension/**"
+      - "package.json"
+      - "pnpm-lock.yaml"
       - "pnpm-workspace.yaml"
+      - "patches/**"
+      - "scripts/auditDependencies*.mjs"
+      - "scripts/checkBracesSecurity.cjs"
       - ".github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-extension-ci.yml"
   push:
     branches:
       - main
     paths:
       - "apps/youtube-auto-resume-extension/**"
+      - "package.json"
+      - "pnpm-lock.yaml"
       - "pnpm-workspace.yaml"
+      - "patches/**"
+      - "scripts/auditDependencies*.mjs"
+      - "scripts/checkBracesSecurity.cjs"
       - ".github/workflows/project-youtube-auto-resume-extension-ci.yml"
 
 permissions:
@@ -39,14 +49,14 @@ jobs:
           version: 11.7.0
 
       - name: Setup Node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0
+        uses: actions/setup-node@949feb2413d6458794dcd2491c4babbbce0c15c1 # v7.1.0
         with:
           node-version: 22
           cache: pnpm
           cache-dependency-path: pnpm-lock.yaml
 
       - name: Install dependencies
-        run: pnpm --filter @cedarflake/youtube-auto-resume-extension --fail-if-no-match install --frozen-lockfile
+        run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
 
       - name: Check extension
         run: pnpm --filter @cedarflake/youtube-auto-resume-extension --fail-if-no-match check
@@ -60,6 +70,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test extension runtime
         run: pnpm --filter @cedarflake/youtube-auto-resume-extension --fail-if-no-match test:e2e
 
-      - name: Audit extension dependencies
+      - name: Audit workspace dependencies
         if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
-        run: pnpm --config.registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/ --filter @cedarflake/youtube-auto-resume-extension --fail-if-no-match audit --audit-level high
+        run: |
+          pnpm test:dependency-audit
+          pnpm audit:dependencies
diff --git a/.github/workflows/repo-codeql-security.yml b/.github/workflows/repo-codeql-security.yml
index ad270f4..ecae3ed 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/repo-codeql-security.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/repo-codeql-security.yml
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ jobs:
           persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Initialize CodeQL
-        uses: github/codeql-action/init@2892aa5e19bbd11bc0cff5427e3b750a04d9e3c2 # v4.38.2
+        uses: github/codeql-action/init@24c54180a607b1449ed407dd24f251e4e9147c8d # v4.38.3
         with:
           build-mode: none
           languages: javascript-typescript
 
       - name: Perform CodeQL analysis
-        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@2892aa5e19bbd11bc0cff5427e3b750a04d9e3c2 # v4.38.2
+        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@24c54180a607b1449ed407dd24f251e4e9147c8d # v4.38.3
         with:
           category: "/language:javascript-typescript"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/repo-repository-contract-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/repo-repository-contract-ci.yml
index f0a0bd4..f8af5ce 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/repo-repository-contract-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/repo-repository-contract-ci.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ jobs:
           version: 11.7.0
 
       - name: Setup Node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0
+        uses: actions/setup-node@949feb2413d6458794dcd2491c4babbbce0c15c1 # v7.1.0
         with:
           node-version: 22.22.2
           cache: pnpm
diff --git a/apps/liminal-drift/README.md b/apps/liminal-drift/README.md
index 9d3a50f..bc710d0 100644
--- a/apps/liminal-drift/README.md
+++ b/apps/liminal-drift/README.md
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ pnpm check:rules
 
 ## Verification
 
-- `pnpm check` runs formatting checks, lint, procedural generation checks, game-rule checks, license policy checks, production build, and bundle budget checks.
+- `pnpm check` runs formatting checks, lint, procedural generation checks, game-rule checks, browser-helper regressions, license policy checks, production build, and bundle budget checks.
 - `pnpm check:bundle` verifies the built JS/CSS assets stay within raw and gzip size budgets.
 - `pnpm check:canvas -- <url>` captures desktop and mobile screenshots, checks the 3D scene is visible and moving, verifies modal focus / telemetry / progress semantics, and covers blocked local storage, invalid best-score storage, reduced-motion CSS, and repeated Escape input.
 - `pnpm check:interaction -- <url>` verifies keyboard driving, drifting, reverse darkness, single-click restart at the road end, interference reset, pause/resume, background freezing with interrupted menu transitions, gamepad input, and the mobile desktop-required fallback.
diff --git a/apps/liminal-drift/package.json b/apps/liminal-drift/package.json
index d5fcf4d..16cc582 100644
--- a/apps/liminal-drift/package.json
+++ b/apps/liminal-drift/package.json
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
     "preview": "vite preview",
     "format": "prettier . --write",
     "format:check": "prettier . --check",
-    "check": "pnpm run format:check && pnpm lint && pnpm run check:generation && pnpm run check:rules && pnpm run check:licenses && pnpm build && pnpm run check:bundle",
+    "check": "pnpm run format:check && pnpm lint && pnpm run check:generation && pnpm run check:rules && pnpm run check:browser-helpers && pnpm run check:licenses && pnpm build && pnpm run check:bundle",
+    "check:browser-helpers": "node --test scripts/browserDrivingChecks.test.mjs",
     "check:browser": "pnpm run check:canvas -- http://127.0.0.1:4173/ && pnpm run check:interaction -- http://127.0.0.1:4173/",
     "check:bundle": "node scripts/checkBundleBudget.mjs",
     "check:canvas": "node scripts/checkCanvas.mjs",
diff --git a/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/browserDrivingChecks.mjs b/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/browserDrivingChecks.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5901bb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/browserDrivingChecks.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/** @param {Element} element */
+export function observeStoppedSpeed(element) {
+  const initialText = element.textContent?.trim()
+  const initialSpeed = Number(initialText)
+  if (!initialText || !Number.isFinite(initialSpeed) || initialSpeed < 1) {
+    throw new Error(`Expected a moving car before observing its stop, got "${initialText}"`)
+  }
+  const observation = {
+    hasStopped: false,
+    disconnect: () => observer.disconnect(),
+  }
+  const observe = () => {
+    const text = element.textContent?.trim()
+    const speed = Number(text)
+    if (text && Number.isFinite(speed) && speed >= 0 && speed < 1) {
+      observation.hasStopped = true
+      observer.disconnect()
+    }
+  }
+  const observer = new MutationObserver(observe)
+  observer.observe(element, { childList: true, characterData: true, subtree: true })
+  observe()
+  return observation
+}
diff --git a/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/browserDrivingChecks.test.mjs b/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/browserDrivingChecks.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed1863a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/browserDrivingChecks.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict"
+import test from "node:test"
+import { runInNewContext } from "node:vm"
+
+import { observeStoppedSpeed } from "./browserDrivingChecks.mjs"
+
+/** @param {string | null} initialSpeed */
+function monitor(initialSpeed) {
+  const element = { textContent: initialSpeed }
+  /** @type {(() => void) | undefined} */
+  let callback
+  let isConnected = false
+  const observation = runInNewContext(`(${observeStoppedSpeed.toString()})(element)`, {
+    element,
+    MutationObserver: class {
+      /** @param {() => void} onMutation */
+      constructor(onMutation) {
+        callback = onMutation
+      }
+      observe() {
+        isConnected = true
+      }
+      disconnect() {
+        isConnected = false
+      }
+    },
+  })
+  return {
+    observation,
+    get isConnected() {
+      return isConnected
+    },
+    /** @param {string | null} speed */
+    update(speed) {
+      element.textContent = speed
+      if (isConnected) callback?.()
+    },
+  }
+}
+
+test("retains a real stop when delayed polling sees reverse speed", () => {
+  const state = monitor("42")
+  assert.equal(state.observation.hasStopped, false)
+  state.update("0")
+  state.update("12")
+  assert.equal(state.observation.hasStopped, true)
+  assert.equal(state.isConnected, false)
+})
+
+test("does not report a stop without a valid stopped-speed sample", () => {
+  const state = monitor("42")
+  for (const speed of ["", " ", null, "NaN", "Infinity", "-1", "1", "12"]) {
+    state.update(speed)
+    assert.equal(state.observation.hasStopped, false)
+  }
+  state.update("0")
+  assert.equal(state.observation.hasStopped, true)
+})
+
+test("requires a moving car before observing the stop", () => {
+  for (const speed of ["0", "", " ", null, "NaN", "Infinity", "-1"]) {
+    assert.throws(() => monitor(speed), /Expected a moving car/)
+  }
+})
+
+test("disconnects when a browser check fails before stopping", () => {
+  const state = monitor("42")
+  state.observation.disconnect()
+  state.update("0")
+  assert.equal(state.observation.hasStopped, false)
+  assert.equal(state.isConnected, false)
+})
diff --git a/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/checkCanvas.mjs b/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/checkCanvas.mjs
index f433863..89db171 100644
--- a/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/checkCanvas.mjs
+++ b/apps/liminal-drift/scripts/checkCanvas.mjs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url"
 
 import { chromium, devices } from "playwright"
 
+import { observeStoppedSpeed } from "./browserDrivingChecks.mjs"
 import { browserLaunchOptions } from "./browserLaunchOptions.mjs"
 import {
   measurePeripheralDifference,
@@ -549,7 +550,6 @@ try {
 
     await page.waitForTimeout(2600)
     await page.keyboard.up("w")
-    await page.keyboard.down("s")
 
     const telemetryLines = (await page.locator(".hud").innerText())
       .split(/\r?\n/)
@@ -587,13 +587,31 @@ try {
       )
     }
 
-    // Stop before encoding several screenshots: real bends now require steering,
-    // and a slow screenshot must not leave the throttle held into the first bend.
+    // Latch the brief stop before holding the brake: slow protocol round trips
+    // must not miss it and wait forever after the brake has engaged reverse.
+    const stoppedSpeed = await page
+      .locator(".hud__metric--speed strong")
+      .evaluateHandle(observeStoppedSpeed)
+    try {
+      await page.keyboard.down("s")
+      await page.waitForFunction((observation) => observation.hasStopped, stoppedSpeed)
+    } finally {
+      try {
+        await page.keyboard.up("s")
+      } finally {
+        try {
+          await stoppedSpeed.evaluate((observation) => observation.disconnect())
+        } finally {
+          await stoppedSpeed.dispose()
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    // A delayed key release can briefly engage reverse. Verify the current car
+    // has coasted to rest as well, before encoding screenshots with no held keys.
     await page.waitForFunction(() => {
       const text = document.querySelector(".hud__metric--speed strong")?.textContent
       return Boolean(text) && Number(text) < 1
     })
-    await page.keyboard.up("s")
 
     await page.screenshot({
       path: join(outputPath, `${viewport.name}.png`),