diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index db4f184..67f70ba 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -333,6 +333,12 @@
 ##                              password does not re-auth against a generated one;
 ##                              see docs/operating.md for the migration. Skipped
 ##                              when CLICKHOUSE_HOST points at an external instance.
+##   DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD - the hunt runner's own ClickHouse user,
+##                              dfe_hunt_runner. The engine creates the user on
+##                              this password and the runner connects with it, so
+##                              it reaches the data database and nothing else.
+##                              Needed with an external CLICKHOUSE_HOST too: the
+##                              engine creates the user there.
 ##
 ## Most are covered again in their own sections below.
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index b6f6b46..46063e0 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1159,6 +1159,9 @@ services:
       DFE_CLICKHOUSE_USERNAME: ${CLICKHOUSE_USERNAME:-default}
       DFE_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD: ${CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD:-}
       DFE_CLICKHOUSE_SECURE: ${CLICKHOUSE_SECURE:-false}
+      # The password the engine gives dfe_hunt_runner: the same value the runner
+      # below connects with, minted by `make init`.
+      DFE_CLICKHOUSE_HUNT_RUNNER_PASSWORD: ${DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD:-}
       # Default TTL for every time-series table; 0 = none; a source or a
       # dfe-schemas TTL overrides it.
       DFE_CLICKHOUSE_DEFAULT_TTL_DAYS: ${DFE_CLICKHOUSE_DEFAULT_TTL_DAYS:-90}
@@ -1301,8 +1304,11 @@ services:
       DFE_CLICKHOUSE_PORT: ${CLICKHOUSE_EXTERNAL_HTTP_PORT:-8123}
       DFE_CLICKHOUSE_NATIVE_PORT: ${CLICKHOUSE_EXTERNAL_NATIVE_PORT:-9000}
       DFE_CLICKHOUSE_DATABASE: ${CLICKHOUSE_DB:-default}
-      DFE_CLICKHOUSE_USERNAME: ${CLICKHOUSE_USERNAME:-default}
-      DFE_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD: ${CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD:-}
+      # Its own user, not the admin account: the worker runs INSERT ... SELECT
+      # built from rule text, and dfe_hunt_runner can reach nothing but the data
+      # database. The engine names the user, so it is not a dial.
+      DFE_CLICKHOUSE_USERNAME: dfe_hunt_runner
+      DFE_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD: ${DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD:-}
       DFE_CLICKHOUSE_SECURE: ${CLICKHOUSE_SECURE:-false}
       DFE_CONFIG_DIR: ${DFE_ENGINE_CONFIG_DIR:-/app/config}
       # Same volume as the API's, so both read the one signing key.
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 1474ed6..20ce35f 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ it is a second deployment of the one component, not a component of its own.
 | `CLICKHOUSE_DB`                                  | ClickHouse initialisation database                                                   | `default`                                                           |
 | `CLICKHOUSE_USERNAME`                            | ClickHouse username to connect with                                                  | `default`                                                           |
 | `CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD`                            | ClickHouse password associated to user                                               | -                                                                   |
+| `DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD`            | Password of `dfe_hunt_runner`, the hunt runner's own ClickHouse user; the engine creates the user on it and the runner connects with it | generated                                                           |
 | `DFE_CLICKHOUSE_DEFAULT_TTL_DAYS`                | Days every time-series table keeps rows, the OTel tables included; 0 disables the default TTL; a source or dfe-schemas TTL overrides it | `90`                                                                |
 
 ### Kafka - General
diff --git a/docs/operating.md b/docs/operating.md
index 1671751..b5e9851 100644
--- a/docs/operating.md
+++ b/docs/operating.md
@@ -348,10 +348,9 @@ position requires zero reference to the artefact, that is the remaining edge.
 
 ## Secrets: generated by make init
 
-`make init` mints a random value for `DFE_UI_NEXTAUTH_SECRET`,
-`HYPERDX_POSTGRES_PASSWORD`, `HYPERDX_EXPRESS_SESSION_SECRET`,
-`HYPERDX_TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY` and `CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD`, including topping up an
-existing `.env` that predates any of them (`scripts/init.py`). Compose carries a
+`make init` mints a random value for every key in `GENERATED_SECRETS`
+(`scripts/init.py`), including topping up an existing `.env` that predates any
+of them. Compose carries a
 sentinel (or empty) default rather than a `${VAR:?}` hard-fail -- interpolation is
 not profile-gated, so a hard-fail would abort `make down` too, for a service the
 operator may not even run. The check lives in the power-on self test instead:
@@ -368,6 +367,11 @@ skips it when `CLICKHOUSE_HOST` points at an external instance, because then the
 credential is the operator's, not the stack's. See the upgrade note below -- a
 generated password against an existing warehouse volume is a breaking change.
 
+`DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD` is the hunt runner's own ClickHouse user,
+`dfe_hunt_runner`. The engine creates that user on this password, with `SELECT`
+and `INSERT` on the data database and nothing else, and the runner connects with
+the same value instead of the admin account.
+
 Never commit `.env`.
 
 ## Persistence: what survives, and what `make clean` destroys
diff --git a/scripts/init.py b/scripts/init.py
index 2bdd5ff..74dfa3b 100755
--- a/scripts/init.py
+++ b/scripts/init.py
@@ -47,10 +47,14 @@
 
 # Secrets that must not be left at their weak/empty default. scripts/post.py
 # enforces them: DFE_UI_NEXTAUTH_SECRET, HYPERDX_POSTGRES_PASSWORD,
-# HYPERDX_EXPRESS_SESSION_SECRET and HYPERDX_TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY via its
-# WEAK_SECRET_DEFAULTS service-map, CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD via its own external-CH
-# check (its default is empty, not a sentinel string), and
-# DFE_AUTH_LOCAL_ADMIN_PASSWORD by logging in with it. Keep them in step.
+# HYPERDX_EXPRESS_SESSION_SECRET, HYPERDX_TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY and
+# DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD via its WEAK_SECRET_DEFAULTS service-map,
+# CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD via its own external-CH check (its default is empty, not a
+# sentinel string), and DFE_AUTH_LOCAL_ADMIN_PASSWORD by logging in with it. Keep
+# them in step.
+#
+# DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD is dfe_hunt_runner's: the engine creates
+# that ClickHouse user on this password and the hunt runner connects with it.
 #
 # The deploy mints two logins: DFE_AUTH_LOCAL_ADMIN_PASSWORD is `admin`, issued with
 # a forced change at first login, which `make post` makes and records back in .env.
@@ -89,6 +93,7 @@
     "CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD": _LEN_CREDENTIAL,
     "DFE_AUTH_BREAKGLASS_PASSWORD": _LEN_CREDENTIAL,
     "DFE_AUTH_LOCAL_ADMIN_PASSWORD": _LEN_CREDENTIAL,
+    "DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD": _LEN_CREDENTIAL,
     "HYPERDX_POSTGRES_PASSWORD": _LEN_CREDENTIAL,
     "DFE_API_JWT_SECRET": _LEN_KEY,
     "DFE_UI_NEXTAUTH_SECRET": _LEN_KEY,
diff --git a/scripts/post.py b/scripts/post.py
index 0296e32..d730271 100644
--- a/scripts/post.py
+++ b/scripts/post.py
@@ -313,6 +313,8 @@
     ),
     # Empty, not a sentinel: HyperDX refuses to start on a malformed key.
     "HYPERDX_TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY": ("", "hyperdx"),
+    # Empty leaves dfe_hunt_runner on a password the engine mints, which the runner never sees.
+    "DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD": ("", "dfe-hunt-runner"),
 }
 
 
diff --git a/scripts/tests/test_post.py b/scripts/tests/test_post.py
index d09ed25..6fd7e12 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/test_post.py
+++ b/scripts/tests/test_post.py
@@ -900,3 +900,41 @@ def test_the_hunt_events_carry_a_match_and_near_misses() -> None:
     """Without both sets the verdict cannot tell an exact rule from an over-broad one."""
     assert post.HUNT_EVENTS[post._detection.MATCHING]
     assert post.HUNT_EVENTS[post._detection.OTHER]
+
+
+_RUNNER_PASSWORD_KEY = "DFE_HUNT_RUNNER_CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD"
+
+
+def _only_the_runner_password_in_play(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, services: list[str]
+) -> None:
+    """The bundled ClickHouse with its admin password set, and these services running."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(post, "_resolved_services", lambda: services)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("CLICKHOUSE_HOST", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD", "aMintedAdminValue123")
+
+
+def test_an_unset_hunt_runner_password_fails_the_self_test(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    """Empty leaves dfe_hunt_runner on a password the engine mints and the runner never sees."""
+    _only_the_runner_password_in_play(monkeypatch, ["dfe-engine", "dfe-hunt-runner"])
+    monkeypatch.delenv(_RUNNER_PASSWORD_KEY, raising=False)
+
+    assert [name for name, _value in post._weak_secrets()] == [_RUNNER_PASSWORD_KEY]
+
+
+def test_a_minted_hunt_runner_password_passes(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    _only_the_runner_password_in_play(monkeypatch, ["dfe-engine", "dfe-hunt-runner"])
+    monkeypatch.setenv(_RUNNER_PASSWORD_KEY, "aMintedRunnerValue123")
+
+    assert post._weak_secrets() == []
+
+
+def test_a_stack_without_the_runner_needs_no_runner_password(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    _only_the_runner_password_in_play(monkeypatch, ["dfe-engine"])
+    monkeypatch.delenv(_RUNNER_PASSWORD_KEY, raising=False)
+
+    assert post._weak_secrets() == []