diff --git a/apps/skit/src/permissions.rs b/apps/skit/src/permissions.rs
index 032250f9..40dfef44 100644
--- a/apps/skit/src/permissions.rs
+++ b/apps/skit/src/permissions.rs
@@ -162,10 +162,19 @@ impl Permissions {
                 "containers::*".to_string(),
                 // Transport: allow MoQ, deny HTTP fetcher by default (SSRF risk)
                 "transport::moq::*".to_string(),
-                // Core: explicitly allow safe-ish nodes; deny core::file_writer by default (arbitrary write risk)
+                // Transport HTTP: allow `mse` (serves over the caller's own request, no
+                // arbitrary-URL fetch) so least-privilege gateways can serve live casts
+                // without admin. `transport::http::fetcher` stays denied (SSRF risk).
+                // The oneshot `streamkit::http_input`/`http_output` markers are not gated by
+                // this allowlist (the oneshot path treats them as implicitly allowed), so
+                // they are intentionally not listed here.
+                "transport::http::mse".to_string(),
+                // Core: explicitly allow the safe nodes. Omitted on purpose:
+                // `core::file_writer` / `core::object_store_writer` (arbitrary/external write).
                 "core::passthrough".to_string(),
                 "core::file_reader".to_string(),
                 "core::pacer".to_string(),
+                "core::param_bridge".to_string(),
                 "core::json_serialize".to_string(),
                 "core::text_chunker".to_string(),
                 "core::script".to_string(),
@@ -511,6 +520,20 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(user.is_node_allowed("plugin::wasm::gain_filter_rust"));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_default_user_http_and_core_node_policy() {
+        let user = Permissions::user();
+        // `mse` serves over the caller's own request and is safe to allow.
+        assert!(user.is_node_allowed("transport::http::mse"));
+        // Safe in-graph core nodes (no external side effects) are allowed.
+        assert!(user.is_node_allowed("core::param_bridge"));
+        // The HTTP fetcher stays denied (arbitrary-URL fetch / SSRF risk), and the
+        // write-capable core nodes stay denied (arbitrary / external write).
+        assert!(!user.is_node_allowed("transport::http::fetcher"));
+        assert!(!user.is_node_allowed("core::file_writer"));
+        assert!(!user.is_node_allowed("core::object_store_writer"));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_global_session_limits() {
         let config = PermissionsConfig { max_concurrent_sessions: Some(10), ..Default::default() };
diff --git a/apps/skit/tests/sample_config_test.rs b/apps/skit/tests/sample_config_test.rs
index 88e4902a..324815ed 100644
--- a/apps/skit/tests/sample_config_test.rs
+++ b/apps/skit/tests/sample_config_test.rs
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ fn samples_skit_toml_parses_and_matches_expected_defaults() {
     assert!(config.permissions.roles.contains_key("admin"));
     assert!(config.permissions.roles.contains_key("demo"));
     assert!(config.permissions.roles.contains_key("user"));
+    assert!(config.permissions.roles.contains_key("gateway"));
     assert!(config.permissions.roles.contains_key("readonly"));
 
     let readonly = config.permissions.get_role("readonly");
@@ -58,5 +59,35 @@ fn samples_skit_toml_parses_and_matches_expected_defaults() {
     assert!(!readonly.upload_assets);
     assert!(!readonly.delete_assets);
 
+    // The user role mirrors Permissions::user(): the allowed_samples list is
+    // reachable (sample flags set), the HTTP `mse` sink is allowed, but the
+    // SSRF-risk fetcher and the write-capable core nodes stay denied.
+    let user = config.permissions.get_role("user");
+    assert!(user.list_samples && user.read_samples && user.write_samples && user.delete_samples);
+    assert!(user.is_node_allowed("transport::http::mse"));
+    assert!(user.is_node_allowed("core::param_bridge"));
+    assert!(!user.is_node_allowed("transport::http::fetcher"));
+    assert!(!user.is_node_allowed("core::file_writer"));
+    assert!(!user.is_node_allowed("core::object_store_writer"));
+    // Asset policy also mirrors the built-in: audio, images and fonts.
+    assert!(user.is_asset_allowed("samples/audio/system/beep.wav"));
+    assert!(user.is_asset_allowed("samples/images/system/logo.png"));
+    assert!(user.is_asset_allowed("samples/fonts/system/inter.ttf"));
+
+    // The gateway role is least-privilege but must actually be able to build the
+    // servo -> encode -> mux -> serve pipeline. Crucially the plugin kind has to
+    // pass is_node_allowed() (checked before the plugin allowlist), and the
+    // fetcher / file_writer stay denied.
+    let gateway = config.permissions.get_role("gateway");
+    assert!(gateway.create_sessions);
+    assert!(!gateway.load_plugins);
+    assert!(gateway.is_node_allowed("plugin::native::servo"));
+    assert!(gateway.is_plugin_allowed("plugin::native::servo"));
+    assert!(gateway.is_node_allowed("video::vp9::encoder"));
+    assert!(gateway.is_node_allowed("containers::webm::muxer"));
+    assert!(gateway.is_node_allowed("transport::http::mse"));
+    assert!(!gateway.is_node_allowed("transport::http::fetcher"));
+    assert!(!gateway.is_node_allowed("core::file_writer"));
+
     assert!(config.script.global_fetch_allowlist.is_empty());
 }
diff --git a/docs/src/content/docs/guides/authorization.md b/docs/src/content/docs/guides/authorization.md
index cd689332..ff7921db 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/docs/guides/authorization.md
+++ b/docs/src/content/docs/guides/authorization.md
@@ -109,6 +109,47 @@ allowed_assets = ["*"]
 > [!NOTE]
 > Role permissions are deny-by-default. If you define a custom role in `skit.toml`, any permission you omit defaults to `false`.
 
+> [!NOTE]
+> The built-in `user` role allows `transport::http::mse` (live-cast playback over the caller's own request) but **not** `transport::http::fetcher`, which can fetch arbitrary URLs (SSRF risk). The oneshot `streamkit::http_input` / `streamkit::http_output` markers are always permitted on the oneshot path regardless of `allowed_nodes`, so they need no allowlist entry. A trusted gateway that only serves or receives over the caller's own request therefore does not need `admin`.
+
+## Example: Least-privilege gateway role
+
+Trusted intermediaries (e.g. the `web-capture` or `speech-gateway` examples) build a small set of fixed pipelines and should run with a scoped token instead of `admin`. The role below grants exactly the node kinds the web-capture pipeline (`servo → encode → mux → serve`) needs and nothing more.
+
+> [!IMPORTANT]
+> A plugin must appear in **both** `allowed_nodes` and `allowed_plugins`. Enforcement calls `is_node_allowed(kind)` *before* the plugin check, so a plugin kind missing from `allowed_nodes` is rejected before `allowed_plugins` is ever consulted.
+
+```toml
+[permissions.roles.gateway]
+create_sessions = true
+destroy_sessions = true
+modify_sessions = true
+tune_nodes = true
+list_sessions = true
+list_nodes = true
+access_all_sessions = false  # Only its own sessions
+load_plugins = false
+delete_plugins = false
+upload_assets = false
+delete_assets = false
+allowed_nodes = [
+  "plugin::native::servo",   # render the page (web-capture)
+  "video::pixel_convert",    # servo RGBA -> encoder input format
+  "video::vp9::encoder",     # encode to VP9
+  "containers::webm::muxer", # mux into WebM for MSE / http_output
+  "transport::http::mse",    # serve the live cast to the browser (MSE)
+  "core::pacer",
+  "core::sink",
+  # No core::file_writer (arbitrary-write risk) and no transport::http::fetcher (SSRF).
+  # The oneshot streamkit::http_output marker is implicitly allowed.
+]
+allowed_plugins = ["plugin::native::servo"] # must also be listed in allowed_nodes (see note above)
+```
+
+This role serves a **video-only** WebM cast. To also carry page audio (the `mse`
+node advertises `codecs="vp9,opus"`), add the audio encoder — e.g.
+`"audio::opus::encoder"` — to `allowed_nodes`.
+
 ## Permission reference
 
 | Permission | Description |
diff --git a/samples/skit.toml b/samples/skit.toml
index 944e93b4..484725d8 100644
--- a/samples/skit.toml
+++ b/samples/skit.toml
@@ -471,35 +471,101 @@ delete_plugins = false
 list_nodes = true
 access_all_sessions = false
 
-# Users can access all samples except admin-only ones
+# Sample management (mirrors the built-in Permissions::user()); without these
+# flags the allowed_samples list below would be unreachable.
+list_samples = true
+read_samples = true
+write_samples = true
+delete_samples = true
+
+# Users can access standard samples (mirrors the built-in Permissions::user()).
 allowed_samples = [
     "oneshot/*.yml",
     "oneshot/*.yaml",
     "dynamic/*.yml",
     "dynamic/*.yaml",
-    "demo/*.yml",
-    "demo/*.yaml",
     "user/*.yml",
     "user/*.yaml",
 ]
 
-# Users can use most nodes except potentially dangerous ones
+# Users can use most nodes except potentially dangerous ones. Mirrors the
+# built-in Permissions::user() default. Allowed: MoQ + the HTTP `mse` sink
+# (serves over the caller's own request). Denied by omission:
+# transport::http::fetcher (SSRF), core::file_writer / core::object_store_writer
+# (arbitrary/external write). The oneshot streamkit::http_input/http_output
+# markers are implicitly allowed on the oneshot path and need no entry here.
 allowed_nodes = [
     "audio::*",
-    "transport::*",
-    "core::*",
+    "video::*",
     "containers::*",
+    "transport::moq::*",
+    "transport::http::mse",
+    "core::passthrough",
+    "core::file_reader",
+    "core::pacer",
+    "core::param_bridge",
+    "core::json_serialize",
+    "core::text_chunker",
+    "core::script",
+    "core::telemetry_tap",
+    "core::telemetry_out",
+    "core::sink",
+    "plugin::*",
 ]
 
-# Users cannot load plugins, so this list is empty
-allowed_plugins = []
+# Users cannot load/delete plugins, but may use plugins an admin has already loaded.
+allowed_plugins = ["plugin::*"]
 
 # Users can list bundled system assets and their uploaded assets
+# (mirrors the built-in Permissions::user(): audio, images and fonts).
 allowed_assets = [
     "samples/audio/system/*",
     "samples/audio/user/*",
+    "samples/images/system/*",
+    "samples/images/user/*",
+    "samples/fonts/system/*",
+    "samples/fonts/user/*",
+]
+
+[permissions.roles.gateway]
+# Least-privilege role for trusted intermediaries that build a small set of
+# fixed pipelines, so they need not run as admin. The node/plugin lists below
+# are scoped to the web-capture example; a different gateway (e.g. speech-gateway)
+# would swap in its own nodes and plugins (audio nodes, whisper/kokoro, etc.).
+create_sessions = true
+destroy_sessions = true
+list_sessions = true
+modify_sessions = true
+tune_nodes = true
+load_plugins = false
+delete_plugins = false
+list_nodes = true
+access_all_sessions = false  # Only its own sessions
+upload_assets = false
+delete_assets = false
+
+allowed_samples = []
+
+# Exactly the node kinds the web-capture / live-cast pipeline needs, nothing more.
+# A plugin kind must be allowed here too: is_node_allowed() runs before the
+# allowed_plugins check, so a plugin missing from allowed_nodes is rejected first.
+# No fetcher (SSRF) and no file_writer (arbitrary write). The oneshot
+# streamkit::http_output marker is implicitly allowed and needs no entry.
+allowed_nodes = [
+    "plugin::native::servo",     # render the page (web-capture)
+    "video::pixel_convert",      # servo RGBA -> encoder input format
+    "video::vp9::encoder",       # encode to VP9
+    "containers::webm::muxer",   # mux into WebM for MSE / http_output
+    "transport::http::mse",      # serve the live cast to the browser (MSE)
+    "core::pacer",
+    "core::sink",
 ]
 
+# Only the specific plugin(s) the gateway needs (example: servo for web-capture).
+allowed_plugins = ["plugin::native::servo"]
+
+allowed_assets = []
+
 [permissions.roles.readonly]
 # Read-only role - can only view, not modify
 create_sessions = false