diff --git a/.claude/skills/remediation-tool/scripts/get-token.sh b/.claude/skills/remediation-tool/scripts/get-token.sh
index 8f6f206..d2eb7bd 100755
--- a/.claude/skills/remediation-tool/scripts/get-token.sh
+++ b/.claude/skills/remediation-tool/scripts/get-token.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,19 @@
 #   tenant-admin       ComputerGuru Tenant Admin          -> Graph API  (app roles, CA policy, directory write — high privilege)
 #   defender           ComputerGuru Defender Add-on       -> Defender ATP API  (MDE-licensed tenants only)
 #
+# Authentication: certificate-based (client_assertion JWT, RS256) is preferred
+# when cert_thumbprint_b64url + cert_private_key_pem_b64 are present in the vault
+# entry's credentials block. Falls back to client_secret otherwise.
+#
+# Override via env: REMEDIATION_AUTH=cert | secret  (default: auto, prefer cert)
+#   - REMEDIATION_AUTH=cert   forces cert; errors if cert fields missing (no fallback).
+#   - REMEDIATION_AUTH=secret forces client_secret; errors if secret missing.
+#   - unset / any other value: auto-detect (cert preferred, secret fallback).
+#
+# Cert fields read from the vault entry (under credentials:):
+#   cert_thumbprint_b64url   x5t header value (base64url SHA1, no padding)
+#   cert_private_key_pem_b64 base64-encoded RSA private key PEM
+#
 # Output (stdout): bearer token. Exits 0 on success.
 # Cache: /tmp/remediation-tool/{tenant-id}/{tier}.jwt  TTL 55 minutes.
 set -euo pipefail
@@ -94,11 +107,9 @@ IDENTITY_FILE="$CLAUDETOOLS_ROOT/.claude/identity.json"
 
 VAULT_ROOT="${VAULT_ROOT_ENV:-}"
 if [[ -z "$VAULT_ROOT" && -f "$IDENTITY_FILE" ]]; then
-  # Try jq first (handles Unix paths on Windows cleanly)
   if command -v jq >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     VAULT_ROOT=$(jq -r '.vault_path // empty' "$IDENTITY_FILE" 2>/dev/null)
   fi
-  # Fall back to Python with Windows path conversion
   if [[ -z "$VAULT_ROOT" ]]; then
     IDENTITY_FILE_WIN=$(cygpath -w "$IDENTITY_FILE" 2>/dev/null || echo "$IDENTITY_FILE")
     for py in py python3 python; do
@@ -114,48 +125,224 @@ fi
 SOPS_FILE="$VAULT_ROOT/$VAULT_PATH"
 [[ ! -f "$SOPS_FILE" ]] && { echo "ERROR: vault file not found: $SOPS_FILE" >&2; exit 3; }
 
-# Read client secret via vault.sh (fast path), falling back to raw sops+python
-CLIENT_SECRET=""
+# Pick a Python interpreter once for all helpers.
+PYTHON_BIN=""
+for p in py python python3; do command -v "$p" >/dev/null 2>&1 && PYTHON_BIN="$p" && break; done
+
+# Decrypt the SOPS file once and cache plaintext in a memory-mapped tmp file.
+# All field reads below pull from this single decrypt; saves multiple sops invocations
+# (each is ~1s on Windows due to age key load) and avoids piping ~2KB key material
+# through subshells repeatedly.
+PLAINTEXT_FILE="$(mktemp -t sops-plain.XXXXXX)"
+trap 'rm -f "$PLAINTEXT_FILE"' EXIT
+
+# Try vault.sh first (handles yq vs python-yaml selection internally).
+# If that fails (e.g. PyYAML missing on this host), do a raw sops decrypt.
+SOPS_OK=0
 if [[ -f "$VAULT_ROOT/scripts/vault.sh" ]]; then
-  # Try both field names — new files use client_secret, legacy used credential
-  CLIENT_SECRET=$(bash "$VAULT_ROOT/scripts/vault.sh" get-field "$VAULT_PATH" credentials.client_secret 2>/dev/null | tr -d '\r\n' || true)
-  if [[ -z "$CLIENT_SECRET" ]]; then
-    CLIENT_SECRET=$(bash "$VAULT_ROOT/scripts/vault.sh" get-field "$VAULT_PATH" credentials.credential 2>/dev/null | tr -d '\r\n' || true)
+  if bash "$VAULT_ROOT/scripts/vault.sh" get "$VAULT_PATH" > "$PLAINTEXT_FILE" 2>/dev/null && [[ -s "$PLAINTEXT_FILE" ]]; then
+    SOPS_OK=1
+  fi
+fi
+if [[ $SOPS_OK -eq 0 ]]; then
+  command -v sops >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "ERROR: vault.sh failed and sops not on PATH (needed for fallback decrypt)" >&2; exit 3; }
+  if ! sops -d "$SOPS_FILE" > "$PLAINTEXT_FILE" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "ERROR: sops decrypt failed for $SOPS_FILE" >&2
+    exit 3
   fi
 fi
 
-if [[ -z "$CLIENT_SECRET" ]]; then
-  PYTHON_BIN=""
-  for p in py python python3; do command -v "$p" >/dev/null 2>&1 && PYTHON_BIN="$p" && break; done
-  [[ -z "$PYTHON_BIN" ]] && { echo "ERROR: vault.sh failed and python unavailable for SOPS fallback" >&2; exit 3; }
-  command -v sops >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "ERROR: sops not on PATH (needed for fallback decrypt)" >&2; exit 3; }
-
-  CLIENT_SECRET=$(sops -d "$SOPS_FILE" 2>/dev/null | "$PYTHON_BIN" -c "
+# read_field <field-name> -> stdout (empty if missing)
+# Tries PyYAML for correctness; falls back to a tolerant flat-key regex that handles
+# the actual vault file shape (single-line scalars under a 4-space-indented credentials:
+# block — including 2KB+ values like cert_private_key_pem_b64).
+read_field() {
+  local field="$1"
+  local val=""
+  if [[ -n "$PYTHON_BIN" ]]; then
+    val=$("$PYTHON_BIN" - "$PLAINTEXT_FILE" "$field" <<'PY' 2>/dev/null || true
+import sys
+path, field = sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2]
+try:
+    import yaml
+except ImportError:
+    sys.exit(1)
+try:
+    with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        doc = yaml.safe_load(f) or {}
+except Exception:
+    sys.exit(1)
+creds = (doc.get("credentials") or {})
+v = creds.get(field)
+if v is None:
+    sys.exit(0)
+print(v)
+PY
+)
+    val="${val%$'\r'}"
+    if [[ -n "$val" ]]; then
+      printf '%s' "$val"
+      return 0
+    fi
+  fi
+  # Regex fallback: flat keys under credentials:, indent 2 or 4 spaces, value on same line.
+  # Strips surrounding quotes if present. Stops at first match. Works for the actual
+  # vault format because cert_private_key_pem_b64 is emitted as a single long line.
+  if [[ -n "$PYTHON_BIN" ]]; then
+    val=$("$PYTHON_BIN" - "$PLAINTEXT_FILE" "$field" <<'PY' 2>/dev/null || true
 import sys, re
-t = sys.stdin.read()
-m = re.search(r'^credentials:\s*\n((?:[ \t]+.*\n)+)', t, re.MULTILINE)
-if not m: sys.exit(1)
-for line in m.group(1).splitlines():
-    line = line.strip()
-    if line.startswith('client_secret:') or line.startswith('credential:'):
-        print(line.split(':', 1)[1].strip().strip('\"').strip(\"'\"))
-        break
-" | tr -d '\r\n')
-fi
-
-[[ -z "$CLIENT_SECRET" ]] && {
-  echo "ERROR: could not read secret from $VAULT_PATH" >&2
-  echo "  Check field: credentials.client_secret  (or credentials.credential for older entries)" >&2
-  exit 4
+path, field = sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2]
+try:
+    with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        text = f.read()
+except Exception:
+    sys.exit(1)
+m = re.search(r'(?ms)^credentials:\s*\n((?:[ \t]+.*\n?)+)', text)
+if not m:
+    sys.exit(0)
+block = m.group(1)
+pat = re.compile(r'^[ \t]+' + re.escape(field) + r'\s*:\s*(.*?)\s*$', re.MULTILINE)
+fm = pat.search(block)
+if not fm:
+    sys.exit(0)
+v = fm.group(1)
+if (v.startswith('"') and v.endswith('"')) or (v.startswith("'") and v.endswith("'")):
+    v = v[1:-1]
+print(v)
+PY
+)
+    val="${val%$'\r'}"
+    printf '%s' "$val"
+  fi
 }
 
-# Request token
-RESP=$(curl -s --max-time 15 -X POST \
-  "https://login.microsoftonline.com/${TENANT_ID}/oauth2/v2.0/token" \
-  --data-urlencode "client_id=${CLIENT_ID}" \
-  --data-urlencode "client_secret=${CLIENT_SECRET}" \
-  --data-urlencode "scope=${SCOPE_URL}" \
-  --data-urlencode "grant_type=client_credentials")
+# Auth-method selection: env override > auto-detect.
+AUTH_OVERRIDE="${REMEDIATION_AUTH:-}"
+AUTH_METHOD=""
+CERT_X5T=""
+CERT_KEY_B64=""
+CLIENT_SECRET=""
+
+case "$AUTH_OVERRIDE" in
+  cert)
+    CERT_X5T=$(read_field cert_thumbprint_b64url | tr -d '\r\n')
+    CERT_KEY_B64=$(read_field cert_private_key_pem_b64 | tr -d '\r\n')
+    if [[ -z "$CERT_X5T" || -z "$CERT_KEY_B64" ]]; then
+      echo "ERROR: REMEDIATION_AUTH=cert but cert fields missing in vault ($VAULT_PATH)" >&2
+      echo "  Required fields under credentials: cert_thumbprint_b64url, cert_private_key_pem_b64" >&2
+      exit 4
+    fi
+    AUTH_METHOD="cert"
+    ;;
+  secret)
+    CLIENT_SECRET=$(read_field client_secret | tr -d '\r\n')
+    if [[ -z "$CLIENT_SECRET" ]]; then
+      CLIENT_SECRET=$(read_field credential | tr -d '\r\n')
+    fi
+    if [[ -z "$CLIENT_SECRET" ]]; then
+      echo "ERROR: REMEDIATION_AUTH=secret but client_secret missing in vault ($VAULT_PATH)" >&2
+      echo "  Check field: credentials.client_secret  (or credentials.credential for older entries)" >&2
+      exit 4
+    fi
+    AUTH_METHOD="secret"
+    ;;
+  *)
+    CERT_X5T=$(read_field cert_thumbprint_b64url | tr -d '\r\n')
+    CERT_KEY_B64=$(read_field cert_private_key_pem_b64 | tr -d '\r\n')
+    if [[ -n "$CERT_X5T" && -n "$CERT_KEY_B64" ]]; then
+      AUTH_METHOD="cert"
+    else
+      CLIENT_SECRET=$(read_field client_secret | tr -d '\r\n')
+      if [[ -z "$CLIENT_SECRET" ]]; then
+        CLIENT_SECRET=$(read_field credential | tr -d '\r\n')
+      fi
+      if [[ -z "$CLIENT_SECRET" ]]; then
+        echo "ERROR: no usable credential found in $VAULT_PATH" >&2
+        echo "  Need either credentials.cert_thumbprint_b64url + credentials.cert_private_key_pem_b64," >&2
+        echo "  or credentials.client_secret (or legacy credentials.credential)." >&2
+        exit 4
+      fi
+      AUTH_METHOD="secret"
+    fi
+    ;;
+esac
+
+echo "[INFO] auth=$AUTH_METHOD" >&2
+
+# Build request and POST.
+TOKEN_URL="https://login.microsoftonline.com/${TENANT_ID}/oauth2/v2.0/token"
+
+if [[ "$AUTH_METHOD" == "cert" ]]; then
+  [[ -z "$PYTHON_BIN" ]] && { echo "ERROR: cert auth requires python (py/python/python3) for JWT signing" >&2; exit 4; }
+
+  CLIENT_ASSERTION=$(CERT_X5T_ENV="$CERT_X5T" \
+                     CERT_KEY_B64_ENV="$CERT_KEY_B64" \
+                     CLIENT_ID_ENV="$CLIENT_ID" \
+                     TOKEN_URL_ENV="$TOKEN_URL" \
+                     "$PYTHON_BIN" - <<'PY' 2>&1
+import os, sys, time, uuid, base64
+try:
+    import jwt
+except ImportError:
+    sys.stderr.write("ERROR: PyJWT not installed (pip install PyJWT cryptography)\n")
+    sys.exit(2)
+try:
+    from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.serialization import load_pem_private_key
+except ImportError:
+    sys.stderr.write("ERROR: cryptography not installed (pip install cryptography)\n")
+    sys.exit(2)
+
+x5t = os.environ["CERT_X5T_ENV"]
+key_b64 = os.environ["CERT_KEY_B64_ENV"]
+client_id = os.environ["CLIENT_ID_ENV"]
+aud = os.environ["TOKEN_URL_ENV"]
+
+try:
+    key_pem = base64.b64decode(key_b64)
+except Exception as e:
+    sys.stderr.write(f"ERROR: cert_private_key_pem_b64 is not valid base64: {e}\n")
+    sys.exit(3)
+
+# Validate the PEM parses before handing to PyJWT, for a clearer error.
+try:
+    load_pem_private_key(key_pem, password=None)
+except Exception as e:
+    sys.stderr.write(f"ERROR: cert_private_key_pem_b64 did not decode to a valid PEM private key: {e}\n")
+    sys.exit(3)
+
+now = int(time.time())
+payload = {
+    "aud": aud,
+    "iss": client_id,
+    "sub": client_id,
+    "jti": str(uuid.uuid4()),
+    "exp": now + 300,
+    "nbf": now,
+}
+token = jwt.encode(payload, key_pem, algorithm="RS256", headers={"x5t": x5t})
+sys.stdout.write(token)
+PY
+)
+  ASSERT_RC=$?
+  if [[ $ASSERT_RC -ne 0 || -z "$CLIENT_ASSERTION" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: failed to build client_assertion JWT" >&2
+    [[ -n "$CLIENT_ASSERTION" ]] && echo "$CLIENT_ASSERTION" >&2
+    exit 4
+  fi
+
+  RESP=$(curl -s --max-time 15 -X POST "$TOKEN_URL" \
+    --data-urlencode "client_id=${CLIENT_ID}" \
+    --data-urlencode "client_assertion_type=urn:ietf:params:oauth:client-assertion-type:jwt-bearer" \
+    --data-urlencode "client_assertion=${CLIENT_ASSERTION}" \
+    --data-urlencode "scope=${SCOPE_URL}" \
+    --data-urlencode "grant_type=client_credentials")
+else
+  RESP=$(curl -s --max-time 15 -X POST "$TOKEN_URL" \
+    --data-urlencode "client_id=${CLIENT_ID}" \
+    --data-urlencode "client_secret=${CLIENT_SECRET}" \
+    --data-urlencode "scope=${SCOPE_URL}" \
+    --data-urlencode "grant_type=client_credentials")
+fi
 
 TOKEN=$(echo "$RESP" | jq -r '.access_token // empty')
 
@@ -165,7 +352,7 @@ if [[ -z "$TOKEN" ]]; then
 
   # AADSTS7000229 — service principal not found in tenant (not consented)
   if echo "$ERROR_DESC" | grep -qi "7000229\|AADSTS7000229" || [[ "$ERROR_CODE" == "7000229" ]]; then
-    echo "ERROR: AADSTS7000229 — app not consented in tenant $TENANT_ID (tier=$TIER)" >&2
+    echo "ERROR: AADSTS7000229 — app not consented in tenant $TENANT_ID (tier=$TIER, auth=$AUTH_METHOD)" >&2
     echo "" >&2
     echo "  The '${TIER}' service principal has not been authorized in this tenant." >&2
     echo "  Send this consent URL to the customer Global Admin:" >&2
@@ -178,7 +365,7 @@ if [[ -z "$TOKEN" ]]; then
     exit 5
   fi
 
-  echo "ERROR: token request failed (tenant=$TENANT_ID tier=$TIER)" >&2
+  echo "ERROR: token request failed (tenant=$TENANT_ID tier=$TIER auth=$AUTH_METHOD)" >&2
   echo "$RESP" >&2
   exit 5
 fi