diff --git a/backend/src/api/proxy/controllers/proxy.js b/backend/src/api/proxy/controllers/proxy.js
index cf7da45..2edd3f8 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/proxy/controllers/proxy.js
+++ b/backend/src/api/proxy/controllers/proxy.js
@@ -1,45 +1,56 @@
 "use strict";
 const axios = require("axios");
 
+// Allowed base URL for proxy requests — only the GovTool API
+const GOVTOOL_BASE_URL = process.env.GOVTOOL_API_BASE_URL;
+
+/**
+ * Validate that the resolved URL targets the configured GovTool API host.
+ * Rejects any URL that does not match the expected host to prevent SSRF.
+ */
+function validateGovtoolUrl(fullUrl) {
+  if (!GOVTOOL_BASE_URL) {
+    throw new Error("GOVTOOL_API_BASE_URL is not configured");
+  }
+  const allowedOrigin = new URL(GOVTOOL_BASE_URL).origin;
+  const targetOrigin = new URL(fullUrl).origin;
+  if (targetOrigin !== allowedOrigin) {
+    throw new Error("Request URL does not match the allowed GovTool API host");
+  }
+}
+
 module.exports = {
-  // POST /proxy
-  async forward(ctx) {
-    try {
-      const {
-        url,
-        method = "GET",
-        data = {},
-        params = {},
-        headers = {},
-      } = ctx.request.body;
-      const response = await axios({ url, method, data, params, headers });
-      ctx.send({ status: response.status, data: response.data });
-    } catch (error) {
-      strapi.log.error("Proxy error:", error);
-      ctx.status = error.response?.status || 500;
-      ctx.body = {
-        error: error.message,
-        details: error.response?.data || null,
-      };
-    }
-  },
+  // NOTE: The previous unrestricted POST /proxy endpoint has been removed.
+  // It allowed unauthenticated SSRF to any URL and was a dev convenience
+  // that should never have shipped to production. See issue #4168.
 
   // GET /proxy/govtool/:endpoint*
   async getGovtoolData(ctx) {
     try {
       const endpoint = ctx.params.endpoint;
       if (!endpoint) return ctx.badRequest("Endpoint is required");
-      const baseUrl = process.env.GOVTOOL_API_BASE_URL;
-      const fullUrl = `${baseUrl.replace(/\/$/, "")}/${endpoint}`;
+
+      if (!GOVTOOL_BASE_URL) {
+        return ctx.internalServerError("GOVTOOL_API_BASE_URL is not configured");
+      }
+
+      const fullUrl = `${GOVTOOL_BASE_URL.replace(/\/$/, "")}/${endpoint}`;
+
+      // SSRF guard: only allow requests to the configured GovTool API
+      validateGovtoolUrl(fullUrl);
+
       const response = await axios.get(fullUrl, {
         params: ctx.query,
-        headers: {
-          // Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.GOVTOOL_API_TOKEN}`,
-        },
+        headers: {},
       });
 
       ctx.send({ status: response.status, data: response.data });
     } catch (error) {
+      if (error.message?.includes("does not match") || error.code === "ERR_INVALID_URL") {
+        ctx.status = 400;
+        ctx.body = { error: "Invalid request URL" };
+        return;
+      }
       strapi.log.error("GovTool GET error:", error);
       ctx.status = error.response?.status || 500;
       ctx.body = {
@@ -54,18 +65,28 @@ module.exports = {
       const endpoint = ctx.params.endpoint;
       if (!endpoint) return ctx.badRequest("Endpoint is required");
 
-      const baseUrl = process.env.GOVTOOL_API_BASE_URL;
-      const fullUrl = `${baseUrl.replace(/\/$/, "")}/${endpoint}`;
+      if (!GOVTOOL_BASE_URL) {
+        return ctx.internalServerError("GOVTOOL_API_BASE_URL is not configured");
+      }
+
+      const fullUrl = `${GOVTOOL_BASE_URL.replace(/\/$/, "")}/${endpoint}`;
+
+      // SSRF guard: only allow requests to the configured GovTool API
+      validateGovtoolUrl(fullUrl);
 
       const response = await axios.post(fullUrl, ctx.request.body, {
         headers: {
           "Content-Type": "application/json",
-          // Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.GOVTOOL_API_TOKEN}`,
         },
       });
 
       ctx.send({ status: response.status, data: response.data });
     } catch (error) {
+      if (error.message?.includes("does not match") || error.code === "ERR_INVALID_URL") {
+        ctx.status = 400;
+        ctx.body = { error: "Invalid request URL" };
+        return;
+      }
       strapi.log.error("GovTool POST error:", error);
       ctx.status = error.response?.status || 500;
       ctx.body = {
diff --git a/backend/src/api/proxy/routes/proxy.js b/backend/src/api/proxy/routes/proxy.js
index adc9570..7687895 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/proxy/routes/proxy.js
+++ b/backend/src/api/proxy/routes/proxy.js
@@ -2,32 +2,28 @@
 
 module.exports = {
   routes: [
-    {
-      method: 'POST',
-      path: '/proxy',
-      handler: 'proxy.forward',
-      config: {
-        roles: ['authenticated', 'public'],
-        auth: false
-      },
-    },
+    // NOTE: The unrestricted POST /proxy route has been removed.
+    // It allowed unauthenticated SSRF to any arbitrary URL (issue #4168).
+    // Only the GovTool-specific proxy routes below are retained, and they
+    // now validate that the target URL matches GOVTOOL_API_BASE_URL.
+
     {
       method: 'GET',
       path: '/proxy/govtool/:endpoint*',
       handler: 'proxy.getGovtoolData',
       config: {
-            roles: ['authenticated', 'public'],
-            auth: false      
-        },
+        roles: ['authenticated', 'public'],
+        auth: false,
+      },
     },
     {
       method: 'POST',
       path: '/proxy/govtool/:endpoint*',
       handler: 'proxy.postGovtoolData',
       config: {
-            roles: ['authenticated', 'public'],
-            auth: false      
-        },
+        roles: ['authenticated', 'public'],
+        auth: false,
+      },
     },
   ],
 };