diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3625734..a24530b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -15,10 +15,13 @@ permissions:
 env:
   CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
   # The bundled Virtual Display Driver (VirtualDrivers/Virtual-Display-Driver,
-  # MIT). Pinned: the installer's scheduled tasks and lifecycle handling are
-  # verified against this exact version.
+  # MIT). Pinned by tag AND by the asset's SHA-256: upstream ships this setup
+  # wrapper unsigned (the driver files inside are the signed part), so exact-
+  # bytes pinning is the supply-chain gate — a re-tagged or replaced asset
+  # fails the build loudly.
   VDD_RELEASE_TAG: "25.5.2"
   VDD_ASSET: "Virtual.Display.Driver-v25.05.03-setup-x64.exe"
+  VDD_SHA256: "ca10b85babecfb636c85b3f04d2306968d4f940dd3dd35767f866207bfba846e"
 
 jobs:
   windows-installer:
@@ -64,22 +67,29 @@ jobs:
           Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/VirtualDrivers/Virtual-Display-Driver/$env:VDD_RELEASE_TAG/LICENSE" `
               -OutFile (Join-Path $dest "LICENSE-VirtualDisplayDriver.txt")
 
-      - name: Verify the driver's Authenticode signature
+      - name: Verify the driver against the pinned SHA-256
         shell: pwsh
         run: |
-          $sig = Get-AuthenticodeSignature "installer\vendor\vdd\$env:VDD_ASSET"
-          Write-Host "Signature status: $($sig.Status)  Signer: $($sig.SignerCertificate.Subject)"
-          if ($sig.Status -ne "Valid") {
-              throw "Driver signature is '$($sig.Status)' — refusing to release an unverified driver."
+          $path = "installer\vendor\vdd\$env:VDD_ASSET"
+          $hash = (Get-FileHash $path -Algorithm SHA256).Hash.ToLower()
+          Write-Host "Downloaded: $hash"
+          Write-Host "Pinned:     $env:VDD_SHA256"
+          if ($hash -ne $env:VDD_SHA256) {
+              throw "Driver asset hash mismatch — upstream bytes changed; re-vet the driver before updating the pin."
           }
+          # Informational: upstream's setup wrapper is unsigned today (the
+          # driver files inside are the signed part). If this ever reports
+          # Valid, tighten this step into a hard signature check too.
+          $sig = Get-AuthenticodeSignature $path
+          Write-Host "Authenticode status (informational): $($sig.Status)"
 
       - name: Install Inno Setup
         shell: pwsh
         run: choco install innosetup -y --no-progress
 
-      - name: Build the installer (strict driver signature)
+      - name: Build the installer
         shell: pwsh
-        run: .\scripts\build-installer.ps1 -StrictSignature
+        run: .\scripts\build-installer.ps1
 
       - name: Compute SHA-256
         id: hash
diff --git a/DECISIONS.md b/DECISIONS.md
index 9103d21..5f97765 100644
--- a/DECISIONS.md
+++ b/DECISIONS.md
@@ -143,10 +143,13 @@ multi-monitor and virtual-display layouts land clicks on the right screen.
 
 - One version, single-sourced from `host/Cargo.toml` (`env!` into the
   banner and the mDNS TXT), matched by the iOS `MARKETING_VERSION`.
-- CI builds releases from a `v*` tag: pinned FFmpeg, pinned driver version,
-  hard-fail Authenticode verification on the bundled driver, and the
-  installer's SHA-256 published in the release body, where the website
-  reads it.
+- CI builds releases from a `v*` tag: pinned FFmpeg, and the bundled driver
+  pinned by tag AND by the asset's SHA-256 with a hard fail on mismatch.
+  (Upstream ships the setup wrapper unsigned — the driver files inside are
+  the signed part — so exact-bytes pinning is the supply-chain gate, and
+  the workflow reports the Authenticode status informationally in case
+  upstream starts signing.) The installer's SHA-256 is published in the
+  release body, where the website reads it.
 
 ## Deferred
 
diff --git a/installer/vendor/vdd/README.txt b/installer/vendor/vdd/README.txt
index 1c830c6..c36422e 100644
--- a/installer/vendor/vdd/README.txt
+++ b/installer/vendor/vdd/README.txt
@@ -31,9 +31,13 @@ license on its repository before public distribution.
 
 VERIFY BEFORE BUNDLING
 ----------------------
-After downloading, confirm the file is signed:
-   Get-AuthenticodeSignature .\Virtual.Display.Driver-v25.05.03-setup-x64.exe
-The Status should be "Valid".
+Upstream ships this setup wrapper UNSIGNED (Get-AuthenticodeSignature
+reports NotSigned) — the signed part is the driver package inside it, which
+Windows itself validates at install time. Verify the download by hash
+instead; the vetted 25.5.2 asset is:
+   SHA-256: ca10b85babecfb636c85b3f04d2306968d4f940dd3dd35767f866207bfba846e
+   (Get-FileHash .\Virtual.Display.Driver-v25.05.03-setup-x64.exe)
+The release workflow pins this same hash and fails the build on mismatch.
 
 NOTE: files in this folder (other than this README) are git-ignored so the binary
 is not committed to the repository.
diff --git a/scripts/build-installer.ps1 b/scripts/build-installer.ps1
index 77a14e6..a0996e0 100644
--- a/scripts/build-installer.ps1
+++ b/scripts/build-installer.ps1
@@ -9,9 +9,10 @@
 # Without it, the build still succeeds and produces an app-only installer.
 
 param(
-    # Release builds (CI) pass this: an unsigned or invalidly-signed bundled
-    # driver then FAILS the build instead of warning. Local developer builds
-    # keep the warning so an unsigned test driver doesn't block iteration.
+    # Fail the build on a driver whose Authenticode signature isn't Valid.
+    # Today's upstream setup wrapper is unsigned (CI pins its SHA-256 in
+    # release.yml instead), so leave this off unless you are bundling a
+    # signed driver build and want the signature enforced.
     [switch]$StrictSignature
 )