diff --git a/internal/backup/backup.go b/internal/backup/backup.go
index 0462058..1f9e834 100644
--- a/internal/backup/backup.go
+++ b/internal/backup/backup.go
@@ -310,6 +310,26 @@ func Restore(opts RestoreOptions) error {
 			}
 			continue
 		case tar.TypeSymlink:
+			// REQ-127 / F7: validate Linkname to prevent symlink attacks.
+			// Reject absolute links, .. traversal, and links outside
+			// the target dir (which could point to /etc/shadow etc.).
+			link := hdr.Linkname
+			if link == "" {
+				return fmt.Errorf("restore: empty symlink linkname for %q", name)
+			}
+			if strings.HasPrefix(link, "/") {
+				return fmt.Errorf("restore: symlink %q has absolute linkname %q (REQ-127: path traversal)", name, link)
+			}
+			if strings.Contains(link, "..") {
+				// Resolve the link relative to the dest dir; if it
+				// escapes the target, reject.
+				linkDest := filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(dest), link)
+				linkClean := filepath.Clean(linkDest)
+				targetClean := filepath.Clean(target)
+				if !strings.HasPrefix(linkClean, targetClean+string(filepath.Separator)) && linkClean != targetClean {
+					return fmt.Errorf("restore: symlink %q linkname %q escapes target (REQ-127)", name, link)
+				}
+			}
 			if err := os.Remove(dest); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
 				return fmt.Errorf("restore: clear symlink %s: %w", name, err)
 			}
diff --git a/internal/backup/backup_test.go b/internal/backup/backup_test.go
index 5c4657b..92e0a19 100644
--- a/internal/backup/backup_test.go
+++ b/internal/backup/backup_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 package backup
 
 import (
+	"archive/tar"
 	"bytes"
+	"compress/gzip"
+	"crypto/hmac"
+	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
 	"os"
@@ -314,3 +318,96 @@ func TestBackupSignatureFileContent(t *testing.T) {
 func hexDecode(s string) ([]byte, error) {
 	return hex.DecodeString(s)
 }
+
+// --- REQ-127 / F7 backup symlink validation tests ---
+
+// TestRestoreRejectsAbsoluteSymlink verifies a tarball with an absolute
+// symlink linkname is rejected.
+func TestRestoreRejectsAbsoluteSymlink(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	// Create a crafted tarball with an absolute symlink.
+	tarPath := filepath.Join(dir, "evil.tar.gz")
+	sigPath := tarPath + ".sig"
+	if err := createCraftedTarball(tarPath, "link", "/etc/shadow"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create tarball: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Create a valid signature (the signature verifies, but the symlink
+	// validation should still reject the restore).
+	key := make([]byte, 32)
+	for i := range key {
+		key[i] = byte(i)
+	}
+	mac := hmac.New(sha256.New, key)
+	data, _ := os.ReadFile(tarPath)
+	mac.Write(data)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(sigPath, []byte(hex.EncodeToString(mac.Sum(nil))), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write sig: %v", err)
+	}
+	target := filepath.Join(dir, "restore")
+	os.MkdirAll(target, 0o755)
+	err := Restore(RestoreOptions{
+		InputPath: tarPath,
+		TargetDir: target,
+		MasterKey: key,
+		Force:     true,
+	})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Restore should reject absolute symlink (REQ-127)")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "absolute") {
+		t.Errorf("error should mention absolute: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRestoreRejectsTraversalSymlink verifies a tarball with a .. symlink
+// that escapes the target is rejected.
+func TestRestoreRejectsTraversalSymlink(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	tarPath := filepath.Join(dir, "evil2.tar.gz")
+	sigPath := tarPath + ".sig"
+	if err := createCraftedTarball(tarPath, "link", "../../etc/shadow"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create tarball: %v", err)
+	}
+	key := make([]byte, 32)
+	for i := range key {
+		key[i] = byte(i + 1)
+	}
+	mac := hmac.New(sha256.New, key)
+	data, _ := os.ReadFile(tarPath)
+	mac.Write(data)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(sigPath, []byte(hex.EncodeToString(mac.Sum(nil))), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write sig: %v", err)
+	}
+	target := filepath.Join(dir, "restore2")
+	os.MkdirAll(target, 0o755)
+	err := Restore(RestoreOptions{
+		InputPath: tarPath,
+		TargetDir: target,
+		MasterKey: key,
+		Force:     true,
+	})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Restore should reject traversal symlink (REQ-127)")
+	}
+}
+
+// createCraftedTarball creates a tar.gz containing a single symlink
+// entry with the given linkname. Used to test symlink validation.
+func createCraftedTarball(path, name, linkname string) error {
+	f, err := os.Create(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	gz := gzip.NewWriter(f)
+	defer gz.Close()
+	tw := tar.NewWriter(gz)
+	defer tw.Close()
+	hdr := &tar.Header{
+		Name:     name,
+		Typeflag: tar.TypeSymlink,
+		Linkname: linkname,
+		Mode:     0o644,
+	}
+	return tw.WriteHeader(hdr)
+}