diff --git a/scripts/explore_docker.sh b/scripts/explore_docker.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..83b773b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/explore_docker.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Deadend-Lab Docker Exploratory Test Harness
+# Runs repeatable randomized endpoint pounding + restarts + log policy checks.
+# Output ends with a one-page report: PASS/FAIL, failures by category, repro commands.
+# Usage:
+#   ITER=50 CONC=20 ./scripts/explore_docker.sh
+# Requires: docker, curl, go (for attack demos)
+set -euo pipefail
+
+ITER="${ITER:-25}"
+CONC="${CONC:-25}"
+PORT="${DEE_PORT:-9188}"
+LOG_TMP="$(mktemp -d)"
+ERRLOG="${LOG_TMP}/errlog.txt"
+FORBIDDEN_RE='k_enc=|k_mac=|session_key|secret|private key|BEGIN (RSA|EC|OPENSSH) PRIVATE KEY|AKIA[0-9A-Z]{16}|ghp_[A-Za-z0-9]{36}|xox[baprs]-|AIzaSy'
+HEX64PLUS_RE='[0-9a-fA-F]{65,}'
+
+record() { echo "$1" >> "$ERRLOG"; }
+
+cleanup() {
+  DEE_PORT="$PORT" docker compose down >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  echo "Logs in: $LOG_TMP"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+: > "$ERRLOG"
+
+echo "[1/6] Preconditions"
+test -z "$(git status --porcelain)" || { echo "BLOCKER: working tree not clean"; exit 1; }
+command -v docker >/dev/null || { echo "BLOCKER: docker not found"; exit 1; }
+command -v curl >/dev/null || { echo "BLOCKER: curl not found"; exit 1; }
+
+echo "[2/6] Build + start"
+DEE_PORT="$PORT" docker compose down >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+docker build -t deadend-lab . || { record "CAT:build|docker build -t deadend-lab ."; exit 1; }
+DEE_PORT="$PORT" docker compose up -d || { record "CAT:compose|DEE_PORT=$PORT docker compose up -d"; exit 1; }
+sleep 3
+
+echo "[3/6] Health check"
+curl -fsS "http://localhost:${PORT}/health" >/dev/null || { record "CAT:health|curl -fsS http://localhost:${PORT}/health"; exit 1; }
+
+pound() {
+  mode="$1"
+  for _ in $(seq 1 "$CONC"); do
+    (curl -fsS -X POST "http://localhost:${PORT}/scenario/${mode}" >/dev/null) || record "CAT:scenario|curl -X POST http://localhost:${PORT}/scenario/${mode}"
+  done
+  wait
+}
+
+scan_logs_or_fail() {
+  DEE_PORT="$PORT" docker compose logs --no-color > "${LOG_TMP}/compose.log" 2>/dev/null || true
+  if grep -E -i -q "${FORBIDDEN_RE}" "${LOG_TMP}/compose.log" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "BLOCKER: forbidden secret-like pattern found in logs"
+    grep -E -i -n "${FORBIDDEN_RE}" "${LOG_TMP}/compose.log" | head -20
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  if grep -E -q "${HEX64PLUS_RE}" "${LOG_TMP}/compose.log" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "BLOCKER: suspicious long hex string found in logs"
+    grep -E -n "${HEX64PLUS_RE}" "${LOG_TMP}/compose.log" | head -20
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+echo "[4/6] Exploratory loop: ITER=${ITER} CONC=${CONC} PORT=${PORT}"
+for i in $(seq 1 "$ITER"); do
+  echo "== Iteration $i/$ITER =="
+  pound safe
+  pound naive
+  if [ $((i % 5)) -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "Restarting compose to simulate churn"
+    DEE_PORT="$PORT" docker compose restart >/dev/null
+    sleep 2
+    curl -fsS "http://localhost:${PORT}/health" >/dev/null || record "CAT:health_restart|curl -fsS http://localhost:${PORT}/health (after restart iter $i)"
+  fi
+  scan_logs_or_fail
+done
+
+echo "[5/6] Attack demos (expected behavior)"
+go run ./cmd/attacks/nonce-reuse 2>&1 | grep -q 'Recovered plaintext == expected: true' || record "CAT:attack|go run ./cmd/attacks/nonce-reuse"
+go run ./cmd/attacks/replay 2>&1 | grep -q 'Replay accepted: true' || record "CAT:attack|go run ./cmd/attacks/replay"
+
+echo "[6/6] Report"
+echo "=============================================="
+echo "DEADEND-LAB DOCKER EXPLORATORY HARNESS REPORT"
+echo "=============================================="
+if [ -s "$ERRLOG" ]; then
+  echo "VERDICT: FAIL"
+  echo ""
+  echo "FAILURES BY CATEGORY:"
+  grep -E '^CAT:' "$ERRLOG" | cut -d'|' -f1 | sort | uniq -c | while read count cat; do echo "  $cat: $count"; done
+  echo ""
+  echo "REPRO COMMANDS (sample):"
+  grep -E '^CAT:' "$ERRLOG" | cut -d'|' -f2 | head -5 | while read -r cmd; do echo "  $cmd"; done
+  exit 1
+else
+  echo "VERDICT: PASS"
+  echo "No endpoint, health, or attack demo failures."
+  echo "Log policy: no secret-like patterns or long hex in compose logs."
+fi