diff --git a/linux/blitztext/sound.py b/linux/blitztext/sound.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 7f2f1c1..16d5f10
--- a/linux/blitztext/sound.py
+++ b/linux/blitztext/sound.py
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
-"""Play short audio cues (a user WAV, or a built-in system sound) without blocking."""
+"""Play short audio cues (a user WAV, or a built-in system sound) without blocking.
+
+Path safety: all user-configured sound file paths are validated before use
+to prevent path-traversal, device-file access, and symlink attacks.
+"""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
 import shutil
+import stat
 import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
 
 _FREEDESKTOP = "/usr/share/sounds/freedesktop/stereo/{name}.oga"
 
@@ -19,17 +25,95 @@ _PLAYERS: list[tuple[str, list[str], bool]] = [
 ]
 _NATIVE_EXTS = {".wav", ".oga", ".ogg", ".flac"}
 
+# Allowed audio file extensions for user-configured sound paths.
+_ALLOWED_AUDIO_EXTS = {".wav", ".mp3", ".ogg", ".oga", ".flac",
+                       ".m4a", ".aac", ".aif", ".aiff", ".opus"}
+
+# Directories that user-configured sound paths are allowed to resolve into.
+_ALLOWED_PARENTS: tuple[str, ...] = (
+    str(Path.home()),
+    "/usr/share/sounds",
+    "/opt/blitztext",
+)
+
+
+def validate_sound_path(path: str) -> str | None:
+    """Validate a user-configured sound file path.
+
+    Returns the resolved absolute path if the file is safe to play,
+    or ``None`` if the path is empty, does not exist, or fails any
+    security check.
+
+    Checks performed:
+      1. Empty / whitespace-only paths are rejected.
+      2. ``~user`` is expanded via ``expanduser``.
+      3. The path is resolved to an absolute canonical path (``realpath``),
+         which eliminates symlinks and ``..`` components.
+      4. The resolved path must be a regular file (not a device, FIFO,
+         directory, or socket).
+      5. The resolved path must reside under one of the allowed parent
+         directories (user home, system sounds, or the Blitztext install
+         prefix).
+      6. The file extension must be a known audio format.
+    """
+    if not path or not path.strip():
+        return None
+
+    expanded = os.path.expanduser(path.strip())
+    if not expanded:
+        return None
+
+    try:
+        resolved = Path(expanded).resolve(strict=False)
+    except (OSError, RuntimeError, ValueError):
+        return None
+
+    # Must exist and be a regular file.
+    if not resolved.exists():
+        return None
+    try:
+        mode = resolved.stat().st_mode
+    except OSError:
+        return None
+    if not stat.S_ISREG(mode):
+        return None
+
+    # Must be under an allowed parent directory.
+    resolved_str = str(resolved)
+    allowed = False
+    for parent in _ALLOWED_PARENTS:
+        try:
+            common = os.path.commonpath([resolved_str, parent])
+            if common == parent:
+                allowed = True
+                break
+        except ValueError:
+            continue
+    if not allowed:
+        return None
+
+    # Extension must be a known audio format.
+    ext = resolved.suffix.lower()
+    if ext not in _ALLOWED_AUDIO_EXTS:
+        return None
+
+    return resolved_str
+
 
 def play(path: str = "", *, fallback: str | None = None) -> "subprocess.Popen | None":
     """Play `path` (WAV/MP3/OGG/FLAC/…); fallback to a freedesktop system sound.
 
+    User-supplied paths are validated via :func:`validate_sound_path` before
+    being passed to any audio player.  Invalid or unsafe paths are silently
+    ignored (the fallback sound is still attempted).
+
     Returns the Popen object so callers can terminate a preview, or None.
     """
     target = ""
     if path:
-        expanded = os.path.expanduser(path)
-        if os.path.exists(expanded):
-            target = expanded
+        safe = validate_sound_path(path)
+        if safe is not None:
+            target = safe
     if not target and fallback:
         fd = _FREEDESKTOP.format(name=fallback)
         if os.path.exists(fd):
@@ -53,4 +137,4 @@ def play(path: str = "", *, fallback: str | None = None) -> "subprocess.Popen |
             return proc
         except OSError:
             continue
-    return None
+    return None
\ No newline at end of file