diff --git a/backend/__tests__/middleware/securityHardeningBatch2.test.js b/backend/__tests__/middleware/securityHardeningBatch2.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e255c4a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/__tests__/middleware/securityHardeningBatch2.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+/**
+ * Second security sweep on the same branch as the password-strength DoS fix.
+ * Each block pins one gap the audit found:
+ *
+ *  - maintenance gate classified paths case-sensitively while Express routes
+ *    case-insensitively, so /API/... bypassed maintenance mode
+ *  - the general rate limiter skipped anyone holding ANY verified JWT,
+ *    including a gallery token minted for free on password-less galleries
+ *  - the admin gallery preview trusted a verified signature alone, ignoring
+ *    revocation, deactivation and password changes
+ *  - the multipart branch of the CSRF Content-Type gate accepted cross-site
+ *    form posts
+ */
+const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
+
+process.env.JWT_SECRET = 'hardening-batch2-secret';
+
+const fake = { maintenance: 'true', revoked: false, beforeCutoff: false, admin: { id: 1, password_changed_at: null } };
+
+jest.mock('../../src/database/db', () => {
+  const db = jest.fn((table) => {
+    const q = {
+      where: jest.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+      select: jest.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+      first: jest.fn(async () => {
+        if (table === 'app_settings') {
+          return { setting_key: 'general_maintenance_mode', setting_value: fake.maintenance };
+        }
+        if (table === 'admin_users') return fake.admin;
+        return null;
+      }),
+    };
+    return q;
+  });
+  return { db, withRetry: (fn) => fn() };
+});
+jest.mock('../../src/utils/logger', () => ({ error: jest.fn(), warn: jest.fn(), info: jest.fn(), debug: jest.fn() }));
+jest.mock('../../src/utils/tokenRevocation', () => ({ isTokenRevoked: jest.fn(async () => fake.revoked) }));
+jest.mock('../../src/utils/sessionCutoff', () => ({ isTokenBeforeCutoff: jest.fn(async () => fake.beforeCutoff) }));
+jest.mock('../../src/utils/frontendUrl', () => ({ getFrontendBaseUrlSync: () => 'https://photos.example.com' }));
+
+const { maintenanceMiddleware, clearMaintenanceCache } = require('../../src/middleware/maintenance');
+const { isAuthenticated } = require('../../src/services/rateLimitService');
+const { verifyAdminPreview, isAdminPreview } = require('../../src/middleware/gallery');
+const { multipartOriginAllowed } = require('../../src/utils/requestOrigin');
+
+const iat = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) - 10;
+const adminToken = (extra = {}) => jwt.sign({ type: 'admin', id: 1, iat, ...extra }, process.env.JWT_SECRET, { issuer: 'picpeak-auth' });
+const galleryToken = () => jwt.sign({ type: 'gallery', eventId: 1, iat }, process.env.JWT_SECRET, { issuer: 'picpeak-auth' });
+
+describe('maintenance gate is case-insensitive', () => {
+  async function run(path) {
+    clearMaintenanceCache();
+    const req = { path, method: 'GET', headers: {} };
+    const res = { status: jest.fn().mockReturnThis(), json: jest.fn().mockReturnThis() };
+    const next = jest.fn();
+    await maintenanceMiddleware(req, res, next);
+    return next.mock.calls.length === 1;
+  }
+  it('gates /API/gallery/... exactly like /api/gallery/...', async () => {
+    expect(await run('/api/gallery/x/download-all')).toBe(false);
+    expect(await run('/API/gallery/x/download-all')).toBe(false);
+    expect(await run('/Og/gallery/x')).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('general rate limiter skip', () => {
+  const req = (token) => ({ path: '/api/gallery/x/photos', headers: { authorization: `Bearer ${token}` }, cookies: {} });
+  it('is granted to an admin session', () => {
+    expect(isAuthenticated(req(adminToken()))).toBe(true);
+  });
+  it('is NOT granted to a gallery token', () => {
+    expect(isAuthenticated(req(galleryToken()))).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('admin preview requires a live admin session', () => {
+  const req = (token) => ({ query: { admin_preview: '1' }, cookies: { admin_token: token }, headers: {} });
+  beforeEach(() => { fake.revoked = false; fake.beforeCutoff = false; fake.admin = { id: 1, password_changed_at: null }; });
+
+  it('passes for a live session and sets req.isAdminPreview', async () => {
+    const r = req(adminToken());
+    expect(isAdminPreview(r)).toBe(true);
+    expect(await verifyAdminPreview(r)).toBe(true);
+    expect(r.isAdminPreview).toBe(true);
+  });
+  it('fails for a revoked token', async () => {
+    fake.revoked = true;
+    const r = req(adminToken());
+    expect(await verifyAdminPreview(r)).toBe(false);
+    expect(r.isAdminPreview).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+  it('fails after the restore cutoff', async () => {
+    fake.beforeCutoff = true;
+    expect(await verifyAdminPreview(req(adminToken()))).toBe(false);
+  });
+  it('fails for a deactivated or deleted admin', async () => {
+    fake.admin = null;
+    expect(await verifyAdminPreview(req(adminToken()))).toBe(false);
+  });
+  it('fails for a token minted before the last password change', async () => {
+    fake.admin = { id: 1, password_changed_at: new Date((iat + 5) * 1000).toISOString() };
+    expect(await verifyAdminPreview(req(adminToken()))).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('multipart origin gate', () => {
+  const req = (headers) => ({ headers: { host: 'photos.example.com', ...headers } });
+  it('accepts same-origin, same-site and non-browser requests', () => {
+    expect(multipartOriginAllowed(req({ 'sec-fetch-site': 'same-origin' }))).toBe(true);
+    expect(multipartOriginAllowed(req({ 'sec-fetch-site': 'same-site' }))).toBe(true);
+    expect(multipartOriginAllowed(req({ 'sec-fetch-site': 'none' }))).toBe(true);
+    expect(multipartOriginAllowed(req({}))).toBe(true);
+    expect(multipartOriginAllowed(req({ origin: 'https://photos.example.com' }))).toBe(true);
+    // Same-origin install without FRONTEND_URL: Origin matches the Host.
+    expect(multipartOriginAllowed({ headers: { host: 'gallery.local', origin: 'http://gallery.local' } })).toBe(true);
+  });
+  it('rejects cross-site form posts', () => {
+    expect(multipartOriginAllowed(req({ 'sec-fetch-site': 'cross-site' }))).toBe(false);
+    expect(multipartOriginAllowed(req({ origin: 'https://evil.example' }))).toBe(false);
+    expect(multipartOriginAllowed(req({ origin: 'null' }))).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/backend/server.js b/backend/server.js
index efeb35f2..4ceff39c 100644
--- a/backend/server.js
+++ b/backend/server.js
@@ -218,29 +218,16 @@ app.use((req, res, next) => {
 });
 
 // CORS configuration (apply only to API routes)
+const { isAllowedOrigin, multipartOriginAllowed } = require('./src/utils/requestOrigin');
+
 const corsOptions = {
   origin: function (origin, callback) {
     // getFrontendBaseUrlSync() resolves FRONTEND_URL, else the configured
     // general_site_url (#705) — without it, an install that leaves the
     // environment untouched and answers the setup wizard instead would have
     // its own public origin missing from the allowlist.
-    const allowedOrigins = [
-      getFrontendBaseUrlSync() || 'http://localhost:3005',
-      process.env.ADMIN_URL || 'http://localhost:3005'
-    ];
-
-    // In development, also allow localhost origins
-    if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
-      allowedOrigins.push(
-        'http://localhost:5173', // Vite dev server
-        'http://localhost:3002', // Backend server
-        'http://localhost:3001', // For API testing
-        'http://localhost:3000'  // Direct backend access
-      );
-    }
-
     // Allow requests with no origin (like curl) and allow-listed origins
-    if (!origin || allowedOrigins.indexOf(origin) !== -1) {
+    if (!origin || isAllowedOrigin(origin)) {
       callback(null, true);
     } else {
       // Do not error globally; just omit CORS headers on disallowed origins
@@ -527,8 +514,14 @@ app.use(createApiRateLimitGate(() => generalRateLimiter));
 // and why it must stay unmounted.
 app.use(createAuthRateLimitGate(() => authRateLimiter));
 
-app.use(express.json({ limit: '50mb' }));
-app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true, limit: '50mb' }));
+// Body limits. 50mb is only needed by the authenticated admin and API-token
+// surfaces (restore manifests, CMS and email templates, bulk operations);
+// applied globally it let any unauthenticated caller hand JSON.parse a 50mb
+// body and block the event loop. express.json skips a request whose body
+// is already parsed, so the scoped parser must run first.
+app.use(['/api/admin', '/api/v1'], express.json({ limit: '50mb' }));
+app.use(express.json({ limit: '2mb' }));
+app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true, limit: '2mb' }));
 
 // CSRF protection: require JSON Content-Type on mutating API requests
 // This blocks cross-origin form submissions which cannot set Content-Type: application/json
@@ -540,6 +533,14 @@ app.use('/api', (req, res, next) => {
     if (contentLength > 0 && !contentType.includes('application/json') && !contentType.includes('multipart/form-data')) {
       return res.status(415).json({ error: 'Unsupported Content-Type. Use application/json or multipart/form-data.' });
     }
+    // multipart is exactly what a cross-site <form> can send without a
+    // preflight, and in a split-origin deployment (SameSite=None) the admin
+    // cookie rides along to the upload routes. Browsers label such a
+    // submission Sec-Fetch-Site: cross-site (and always send Origin on a
+    // cross-origin POST); non-browser clients send neither header and pass.
+    if (contentType.includes('multipart/form-data') && !multipartOriginAllowed(req)) {
+      return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Cross-site multipart request rejected' });
+    }
   }
   next();
 });
diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/gallery.js b/backend/src/middleware/gallery.js
index 14f9e7ce..32e40f56 100644
--- a/backend/src/middleware/gallery.js
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/gallery.js
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ const { db, withRetry } = require('../database/db');
 const { formatBoolean } = require('../utils/dbCompat');
 const { getGalleryTokenFromRequest } = require('../utils/tokenUtils');
 const logger = require('../utils/logger');
+const { isTokenRevoked } = require('../utils/tokenRevocation');
+const { isTokenBeforeCutoff } = require('../utils/sessionCutoff');
 
 /**
  * True when a logged-in admin is explicitly previewing this gallery (#868).
@@ -24,8 +26,8 @@ const logger = require('../utils/logger');
  * Fails closed on any verification error. Replaces the old `?preview=<raw-JWT>`
  * scheme, which leaked a 24h admin token into the address bar.
  */
-function isAdminPreview(req) {
-  if (req.query?.admin_preview !== '1') return false;
+function decodeAdminPreview(req) {
+  if (req.query?.admin_preview !== '1') return null;
   // Cookie first, then a Bearer — but only an admin-typed token satisfies it.
   const candidates = [];
   if (req.cookies?.admin_token) candidates.push(req.cookies.admin_token);
@@ -34,10 +36,46 @@ function isAdminPreview(req) {
   for (const token of candidates) {
     try {
       const decoded = jwt.verify(token, process.env.JWT_SECRET, { issuer: 'picpeak-auth' });
-      if (decoded.type === 'admin') return true;
+      if (decoded.type === 'admin') return decoded;
     } catch { /* try the next candidate */ }
   }
-  return false;
+  return null;
+}
+
+function isAdminPreview(req) {
+  return decodeAdminPreview(req) !== null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * The full session check behind the preview bypass. A verified signature is
+ * not a live session: adminAuth also rejects revoked tokens, tokens issued
+ * before the restore cutoff, deactivated admins and tokens minted before the
+ * admin's last password change. Without those a logged-out or deactivated
+ * admin token kept unlocking every draft and password gallery until `exp`
+ * (30 days with remember-me). Sets req.isAdminPreview on success so the
+ * downstream reveal-mode and logging checks read one verified flag.
+ */
+async function verifyAdminPreview(req) {
+  if (req.isAdminPreview === true) return true;
+  const decoded = decodeAdminPreview(req);
+  if (!decoded) return false;
+  try {
+    if (await isTokenRevoked(decoded) || await isTokenBeforeCutoff(decoded)) return false;
+    const admin = await withRetry(async () => db('admin_users')
+      .where({ id: decoded.id, is_active: formatBoolean(true) })
+      .select('id', 'password_changed_at')
+      .first());
+    if (!admin) return false;
+    if (admin.password_changed_at) {
+      const changedSeconds = Math.floor(new Date(admin.password_changed_at).getTime() / 1000);
+      if (decoded.iat < changedSeconds) return false;
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    logger.warn('Admin preview session check failed', { error: err.message });
+    return false;
+  }
+  req.isAdminPreview = true;
+  return true;
 }
 
 // Middleware to verify gallery access
@@ -51,7 +89,7 @@ async function verifyGalleryAccess(req, res, next) {
     // below. Per-request bypass — draft + password relaxed, NO gallery JWT
     // minted (a lingering guest cookie would muddy the coexisting-cookies case).
     // req.isAdminPreview flags downstream logging to keep it out of guest stats.
-    if (isAdminPreview(req)) {
+    if (await verifyAdminPreview(req)) {
       if (!requestedSlug) {
         return res.status(401).json({ error: 'No token provided' });
       }
@@ -247,5 +285,6 @@ function denySlideshowToken(req, res, next) {
 module.exports = {
   verifyGalleryAccess,
   denySlideshowToken,
-  isAdminPreview
+  isAdminPreview,
+  verifyAdminPreview
 };
diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/maintenance.js b/backend/src/middleware/maintenance.js
index 9db25269..b2f83f4c 100644
--- a/backend/src/middleware/maintenance.js
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/maintenance.js
@@ -129,8 +129,12 @@ async function maintenanceMiddleware(req, res, next) {
     '/apple-touch-icon.png',
     '/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png'
   ];
-  const isBackendRendered = BACKEND_RENDERED_EXACT.includes(req.path)
-    || BACKEND_RENDERED_PREFIXES.some((prefix) => req.path.startsWith(prefix));
+  // Express routes case-insensitively, so `/API/gallery/...` still reaches the
+  // API router; classify on the lowercased path or that spelling is treated
+  // as the SPA shell and walks straight past the gate.
+  const requestPath = String(req.path || '').toLowerCase();
+  const isBackendRendered = BACKEND_RENDERED_EXACT.includes(requestPath)
+    || BACKEND_RENDERED_PREFIXES.some((prefix) => requestPath.startsWith(prefix));
   const isSpaShell = req.method === 'GET' && !isBackendRendered;
   
   // Allow admin routes if admin is authenticated
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/gallery.js b/backend/src/routes/gallery.js
index 1d647dee..3e27d595 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/gallery.js
+++ b/backend/src/routes/gallery.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ function resolveHeroLogoVisible(perEvent, globalDefault) {
 }
 const watermarkService = require('../services/watermarkService');
 const watermarkGeneratorService = require('../services/watermarkGeneratorService');
-const { verifyGalleryAccess, denySlideshowToken, isAdminPreview } = require('../middleware/gallery');
+const { verifyGalleryAccess, denySlideshowToken, verifyAdminPreview } = require('../middleware/gallery');
 // Preserve the admin-preview flag across internal photo redirects (#981 review).
 // The redirected request carries no gallery JWT, so without the flag it would
 // fall back to the draft/password gate and 404 the derivative.
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ router.get('/:slug/info', async (req, res) => {
 
     // Admin preview (#868) bypasses both the draft gate and — below — the
     // password gate. Computed once and reused.
-    const adminPreview = isAdminPreview(req);
+    const adminPreview = await verifyAdminPreview(req);
     // Check if event is a draft (allow admin preview)
     if (event.is_draft && !adminPreview) {
       return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Gallery is not yet published' });
diff --git a/backend/src/services/rateLimitService.js b/backend/src/services/rateLimitService.js
index fca22c5d..4a3def69 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/rateLimitService.js
+++ b/backend/src/services/rateLimitService.js
@@ -115,8 +115,13 @@ function isAuthenticated(req) {
       return false;
     }
 
-    // Valid token found - check type
-    req.tokenType = decoded.type; // 'admin' or 'gallery'
+    // Only an admin session earns the skip. A gallery token is minted for
+    // free on password-less galleries and slideshow links, so treating it as
+    // "authenticated" handed anyone an unlimited budget on every /api route.
+    if (decoded.type !== 'admin') {
+      return false;
+    }
+    req.tokenType = decoded.type;
     req.tokenPayload = decoded;
     
     return true;
diff --git a/backend/src/utils/requestOrigin.js b/backend/src/utils/requestOrigin.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ad70ff35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/utils/requestOrigin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/**
+ * Origin allow-listing shared by the CORS options and the multipart CSRF gate
+ * in server.js. Kept apart from server.js so it can be unit-tested without
+ * booting the app.
+ */
+const { getFrontendBaseUrlSync } = require('./frontendUrl');
+
+function isAllowedOrigin(origin) {
+  const allowedOrigins = [
+    getFrontendBaseUrlSync() || 'http://localhost:3005',
+    process.env.ADMIN_URL || 'http://localhost:3005'
+  ];
+  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
+    allowedOrigins.push(
+      'http://localhost:5173', // Vite dev server
+      'http://localhost:3002', // Backend server
+      'http://localhost:3001', // For API testing
+      'http://localhost:3000'  // Direct backend access
+    );
+  }
+  return allowedOrigins.indexOf(origin) !== -1;
+}
+
+// Origin check for multipart bodies (see the Content-Type gate below).
+// Same-origin installs proxy /api through nginx and may not have FRONTEND_URL
+// set, so an Origin matching the request Host is accepted alongside the CORS
+// allowlist; Sec-Fetch-Site is authoritative when a browser sends it.
+function multipartOriginAllowed(req) {
+  const site = req.headers['sec-fetch-site'];
+  if (site) return site !== 'cross-site';
+  const origin = req.headers.origin;
+  if (!origin) return true;
+  if (isAllowedOrigin(origin)) return true;
+  try {
+    return new URL(origin).host === req.headers.host;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+
+module.exports = { isAllowedOrigin, multipartOriginAllowed };
diff --git a/backend/src/utils/revealMode.js b/backend/src/utils/revealMode.js
index d10e074d..f01b492c 100644
--- a/backend/src/utils/revealMode.js
+++ b/backend/src/utils/revealMode.js
@@ -48,10 +48,11 @@ function isGalleryHidden(event, now = new Date()) {
 function bypassesReveal(req) {
   if (req.accessLevel === 'slideshow' || req.accessLevel === 'client') return true;
   if (req.viaCustomer) return true;
-  // Lazy require avoids a cycle: middleware/gallery requires nothing from
-  // here, but keeping the import local makes that permanent.
-  const { isAdminPreview } = require('../middleware/gallery');
-  return Boolean(isAdminPreview(req));
+  // req.isAdminPreview is set by verifyAdminPreview() only after the full
+  // session check (revocation, deactivation, password change). Re-decoding
+  // the token here would re-grant the bypass to a session that check just
+  // rejected.
+  return req.isAdminPreview === true;
 }
 
 /** Route guard result: is THIS request blocked by reveal mode? */