diff --git a/security-review/review.sh b/security-review/review.sh
index 1980449..17ca224 100755
--- a/security-review/review.sh
+++ b/security-review/review.sh
@@ -111,7 +111,12 @@ else note_missing gitleaks "brew install gitleaks"; fi
 if command -v checkov >/dev/null; then
   CKALL="$TMP/ck.json"; echo '[]' > "$CKALL"
   for p in $SCOPE_PATHS; do
-    if [ -d "$p" ]; then RAW="$(checkov -d "$p" --skip-path cdk.out --skip-path node_modules --skip-path .venv --skip-path venv --skip-path .aws-sam --skip-path dist --skip-path build -o json --compact --quiet 2>/dev/null || true)"
+    # --skip-path is a regex over the file path. Skip only the cdk.out asset.<hash>/
+    # dependency bundles (the stall cause) + vendored/generated dirs — but KEEP
+    # scanning cdk.out/<stack>.template.json, which is the real deploy artifact
+    # (dropping it would silence genuine S3/IAM IaC findings). asset is anchored to
+    # cdk.out so a source file literally named asset.* is not also excluded.
+    if [ -d "$p" ]; then RAW="$(checkov -d "$p" --skip-path 'cdk\.out/asset\.' --skip-path node_modules --skip-path '\.venv' --skip-path venv --skip-path '\.aws-sam' --skip-path dist --skip-path build -o json --compact --quiet 2>/dev/null || true)"
     else RAW="$(checkov -f "$p" -o json --compact --quiet 2>/dev/null || true)"; fi
     [ -z "$RAW" ] && continue
     FC="$(echo "$RAW" | jq '[ (if type=="array" then .[] else . end).results.failed_checks // [] ] | add // []' 2>/dev/null || echo '[]')"