diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index f387b3c6..741c4bb3 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ updates:
     open-pull-requests-limit: 10
     labels:
       - dependencies
-      - security
 
   - package-ecosystem: github-actions
     directory: "/"
diff --git a/.github/labels.yml b/.github/labels.yml
index fc276b5e..da01463d 100644
--- a/.github/labels.yml
+++ b/.github/labels.yml
@@ -410,6 +410,10 @@
   aliases:
     - dependencies
 
+- name: meta:dependabot-security
+  color: B60205
+  description: "Dependabot update appears security-related and eligible for guarded automation"
+
 - name: area:integration
   color: D93F0B
   description: "3rd-party integrations / ecosystem"
diff --git a/.github/mergify.yml b/.github/mergify.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..05d42662
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/mergify.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+pull_request_rules:
+  - name: Auto-merge Dependabot security updates on develop
+    conditions:
+      - author=dependabot[bot]
+      - base=develop
+      - label=dependencies
+      - label=meta:dependabot-security
+      - check-success=CI / check
+      - check-success=lint / lint
+      - check-success=reviewer / coderabbit-gate
+      - -draft
+      - -conflict
+    actions:
+      merge:
+        method: squash
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependabot-security-label.yml b/.github/workflows/dependabot-security-label.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..64dec184
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependabot-security-label.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+name: dependabot-security-label
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types: [opened, reopened, edited, synchronize]
+    branches: [develop]
+
+jobs:
+  label-security-updates:
+    if: github.event.pull_request.user.login == 'dependabot[bot]'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      pull-requests: write
+      issues: write
+    steps:
+      - name: Detect security-related Dependabot updates
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          script: |
+            const owner = context.repo.owner;
+            const repo = context.repo.repo;
+            const issue_number = context.payload.pull_request.number;
+            const labelName = 'meta:dependabot-security';
+
+            const title = context.payload.pull_request.title || '';
+            const body = context.payload.pull_request.body || '';
+            const text = `${title}\n${body}`;
+
+            // Keep this strict to avoid matching boilerplate text present in most Dependabot PRs.
+            const securityPatterns = [
+              /\bto fix\b/i,
+              /\bvulnerabilit(?:y|ies)\b/i,
+              /\bcve-\d{4}-\d+\b/i,
+              /\bghsa-[a-z0-9-]+\b/i,
+              /\bsecurity\s+fix\b/i,
+            ];
+
+            const isSecurityRelated = securityPatterns.some((pattern) => pattern.test(text));
+
+            try {
+              await github.rest.issues.getLabel({ owner, repo, name: labelName });
+            } catch (error) {
+              if (error.status === 404) {
+                await github.rest.issues.createLabel({
+                  owner,
+                  repo,
+                  name: labelName,
+                  color: 'B60205',
+                  description: 'Dependabot update appears security-related and eligible for guarded automation',
+                });
+              } else {
+                throw error;
+              }
+            }
+
+            const existing = await github.rest.issues.listLabelsOnIssue({ owner, repo, issue_number });
+            const hasLabel = existing.data.some((label) => label.name === labelName);
+
+            if (isSecurityRelated && !hasLabel) {
+              await github.rest.issues.addLabels({ owner, repo, issue_number, labels: [labelName] });
+              core.notice(`Added '${labelName}' to PR #${issue_number}.`);
+              return;
+            }
+
+            if (!isSecurityRelated && hasLabel) {
+              await github.rest.issues.removeLabel({ owner, repo, issue_number, name: labelName });
+              core.notice(`Removed '${labelName}' from PR #${issue_number}.`);
+              return;
+            }
+
+            core.notice(
+              `No label change needed for PR #${issue_number}; security-related=${isSecurityRelated}, hasLabel=${hasLabel}.`,
+            );
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e69223d3..c554e35e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ title: "Changelog"
 description: "All notable changes to this project, formatted per Keep a Changelog 1.1.0 and Semantic Versioning"
 file_type: "documentation"
 category: "Governance"
-version: "1.0.2"
-last_updated: "2026-05-29T05:30:00Z"
+version: "1.0.3"
+last_updated: "2026-05-29"
 owners: ["Engineering Team"]
 tags: ["changelog", "versioning", "releases", "governance"]
 status: "active"
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
   - Merged header-footer.js, badges.js, footerUtils.js, and badgeUtils.js into single ES Module
   - Maintains all public API functions for footer selection, insertion, removal, and badge generation
   - Supports configuration-driven footer phrases and badge schema mapping
-  - Provides unified import path for all branding utilities in meta agent workflows ([#47](https://github.com/lightspeedwp/.github/pull/PENDING))
+  - Provides unified import path for all branding utilities in meta agent workflows ([#47](https://github.com/lightspeedwp/.github/issues/47))
 
 - **Wave 3C: README and Mermaid Maintenance Workflow** — New `.github/workflows/readme-update.yml` workflow automates README and Mermaid diagram maintenance with:
   - Mermaid accessibility updates (adds `accTitle` and `accDescr` attributes per WCAG 2.2 AA)
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Changed
 
+- Added guarded Dependabot security auto-merge automation for `develop` by introducing Mergify conditions tied to Dependabot author, dependency/security labels, conflict/draft guards, and successful required checks. Added and wired a Dependabot security labelling workflow and aligned labels to canonical naming (`meta:dependabot-security`) to satisfy label governance and enable controlled auto-merge behaviour. ([#563](https://github.com/lightspeedwp/.github/pull/563))
+
 - **Release Agent Integration** — Updated `agents/release.agent.md` (v2.2 → v2.3) with post-release `readme-update.yml` invocation:
   - Documented workflow contract with inputs, outputs, and failure handling
   - Added to orchestration algorithm as non-blocking post-release action