diff --git a/services/09-commerce-engine/security.test.js b/services/09-commerce-engine/security.test.js
index 2da67a08b..4911cc1eb 100644
--- a/services/09-commerce-engine/security.test.js
+++ b/services/09-commerce-engine/security.test.js
@@ -93,4 +93,38 @@ describe('L9 Commerce Engine Security Tests', () => {
       );
     });
   });
+
+  describe('JWT Weak Secret Production Rejection', () => {
+    const originalEnv = process.env.NODE_ENV;
+    const originalJwtSecret = process.env.JWT_SECRET;
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      process.env.NODE_ENV = originalEnv;
+      process.env.JWT_SECRET = originalJwtSecret;
+    });
+
+    test('should return 500 in production when weak secret is used in auth middleware', async () => {
+      process.env.NODE_ENV = 'production';
+      process.env.JWT_SECRET = 'dev_secret_change_in_production';
+
+      const { authenticateToken } = require('./src/utils/auth');
+
+      const req = {
+        headers: {
+          authorization: `Bearer ${fleetAToken}`
+        }
+      };
+      const res = {
+        status: jest.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+        json: jest.fn()
+      };
+      const next = jest.fn();
+
+      authenticateToken(req, res, next);
+
+      expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(500);
+      expect(res.json).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ error: 'Internal server configuration error' });
+      expect(next).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/services/09-commerce-engine/src/utils/auth.js b/services/09-commerce-engine/src/utils/auth.js
index 407f8a08a..4f09af2c6 100644
--- a/services/09-commerce-engine/src/utils/auth.js
+++ b/services/09-commerce-engine/src/utils/auth.js
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
-const { jwtSecret } = require('../../config');
+const config = require('../../config');
+
+const WEAK_SECRETS = ['dev_secret_change_in_production', 'test_secret', 'dev_secret', 'default_secret', 'secret'];
+
+const isWeakSecret = (secret) => {
+  if (!secret) return true;
+  return WEAK_SECRETS.includes(secret.toLowerCase().trim());
+};
 
 const authenticateToken = (req, res, next) => {
   const authHeader = req.headers['authorization'];
@@ -9,12 +16,20 @@ const authenticateToken = (req, res, next) => {
     return res.status(401).json({ error: 'Access token required' });
   }
 
-  if (!jwtSecret || jwtSecret === 'dev_secret_change_in_production') {
+  const activeSecret = process.env.JWT_SECRET || config.jwtSecret;
+
+  if (!activeSecret) {
     console.error('[Security] JWT_SECRET is not properly configured.');
     return res.status(500).json({ error: 'Internal server configuration error' });
   }
 
-  jwt.verify(token, jwtSecret, (err, user) => {
+  // [Security Hardening] Reject weak secrets in production environment
+  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' && isWeakSecret(activeSecret)) {
+    console.error('[Security] JWT_SECRET is weak, insecure, or default. Blocking authenticated endpoint access in production.');
+    return res.status(500).json({ error: 'Internal server configuration error' });
+  }
+
+  jwt.verify(token, activeSecret, (err, user) => {
     if (err) {
       return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Invalid or expired token' });
     }