diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 947c8267..09f9010f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -840,6 +840,13 @@ For stricter configurations, replace the wildcard rule with the
 you need) — e.g. `{"preset": "python"}, {"preset": "github"}` instead of
 `{"action": "allow", "host": "*", "method": "GET"}`.
 
+`sandcat init --features strict-network` does this for you: the generated
+project settings contain one preset entry per selected stack and no wildcard,
+so anything beyond the stack registries and the user-settings layer (your
+agent's API hosts) is denied by default — including its DNS resolution.
+Expect to add a few hosts on first use (`.sandcat/settings.local.json` is the
+per-machine place); the startup log and `sandcat proxy` show what got blocked.
+
 ### DNS filtering
 
 DNS queries are checked against the same network rules as HTTP requests. If a
diff --git a/cli/README.md b/cli/README.md
index 398671f8..8d2b8940 100644
--- a/cli/README.md
+++ b/cli/README.md
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Options:
 - `--proxy` - Proxy UI mode: `web` (default, mitmweb browser UI) or `tui` (mitmproxy console, use with `sandcat proxy` to attach)
 - `--secret-provider` / `--sp` - Secret backend: `none` (default), `1password`, `protonpass` (skips prompt when set)
 - `--1password` - Deprecated alias for `--secret-provider 1password`
-- `--features` - Comma-separated optional non-provider features: `tui` (proxy console mode; prefer `--proxy tui`), `no-gitignore` (skip appending the `# Sandcat` block to the project's `.gitignore`; equivalent to `SANDCAT_GITIGNORE=false`), `no-rtk` (skip RTK installation; equivalent to `SANDCAT_RTK=false`)
+- `--features` - Comma-separated optional non-provider features: `tui` (proxy console mode; prefer `--proxy tui`), `no-gitignore` (skip appending the `# Sandcat` block to the project's `.gitignore`; equivalent to `SANDCAT_GITIGNORE=false`), `no-rtk` (skip RTK installation; equivalent to `SANDCAT_RTK=false`), `strict-network` (project settings get network presets for the selected stacks instead of the allow-all-GET wildcard; equivalent to `SANDCAT_STRICT_NETWORK=true`)
 - `--name` - Project name for Docker Compose (default: derived from directory name)
 - `--path` - Project directory (default: current directory)
 
diff --git a/cli/libexec/init/init b/cli/libexec/init/init
index caaeca4e..ca9a97f3 100755
--- a/cli/libexec/init/init
+++ b/cli/libexec/init/init
@@ -301,14 +301,19 @@ init() {
 	#   no-shared-cache → disable shared JVM dependency cache volumes
 	#   no-gitignore    → skip appending the Sandcat block to .gitignore
 	#   no-rtk          → skip installing the rtk shell hook
+	#   strict-network  → project settings get stack network presets instead
+	#                     of the allow-all-GET wildcard (default deny beyond
+	#                     the presets and the user-settings layer)
 	local gitignore_enabled=${SANDCAT_GITIGNORE:-true}
 	local rtk_enabled=${SANDCAT_RTK:-true}
+	local strict_network=${SANDCAT_STRICT_NETWORK:-false}
 	if [[ "$features_provided" != "true" ]]; then
 		local available_features=(
 			"tui (mitmproxy console instead of web UI)"
 			"no-shared-cache (per-project dep cache instead of shared)"
 			"no-gitignore (do not append Sandcat block to .gitignore)"
 			"no-rtk (do not install rtk shell hook)"
+			"strict-network (stack presets instead of allow-all-GET wildcard)"
 		)
 		local selected_features
 		selected_features=$(select_multiple "Select optional features (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):" "${available_features[@]}")
@@ -321,6 +326,7 @@ init() {
 					no-shared-cache) export SANDCAT_MOUNT_SHARED_CACHE="false" ;;
 					no-gitignore) gitignore_enabled=false ;;
 					no-rtk) rtk_enabled=false ;;
+					strict-network) strict_network=true ;;
 				esac
 			done
 		fi
@@ -333,11 +339,12 @@ init() {
 					no-shared-cache) export SANDCAT_MOUNT_SHARED_CACHE="false" ;;
 					no-gitignore) gitignore_enabled=false ;;
 					no-rtk) rtk_enabled=false ;;
+					strict-network) strict_network=true ;;
 					1password)
 						echo "Use --secret-provider 1password instead of --features 1password" | error
 						return 1
 						;;
-					*) echo "Unknown feature: $f (expected: tui, no-shared-cache, no-gitignore, no-rtk)" | error; return 1 ;;
+					*) echo "Unknown feature: $f (expected: tui, no-shared-cache, no-gitignore, no-rtk, strict-network)" | error; return 1 ;;
 				esac
 			done
 		fi
@@ -387,7 +394,11 @@ init() {
 
 	add_secret_provider_tokens_to_user_settings "$secret_provider"
 
-	settings "$project_path/$settings_file" "${services[@]}"
+	local settings_args=()
+	if [[ "$strict_network" == "true" ]]; then
+		settings_args+=(--strict-network --stacks "$stacks_resolved")
+	fi
+	settings "${settings_args[@]+"${settings_args[@]}"}" "$project_path/$settings_file" "${services[@]}"
 	local devcontainer_args=(
 		--settings-file "$settings_file"
 		--project-path "$project_path"
@@ -447,6 +458,12 @@ init() {
 	else
 		echo "  RTK:              disabled" | info
 	fi
+	if [[ "$strict_network" == "true" ]]; then
+		local preset_summary="${stacks_resolved:-none}"
+		echo "  Network:          strict — stack presets: ${preset_summary// /, } (edit .sandcat/settings.json to allow more)" | info
+	else
+		echo "  Network:          default (allow all GET; tighten with --features strict-network)" | info
+	fi
 	case "$secret_provider" in
 	1password)
 		echo "  Secret provider:  1Password" | info
diff --git a/cli/libexec/init/settings b/cli/libexec/init/settings
index b00a80bb..3bfdd79e 100755
--- a/cli/libexec/init/settings
+++ b/cli/libexec/init/settings
@@ -10,11 +10,34 @@ source "$SCT_LIBDIR/constants.bash"
 
 # Creates a network settings file for the proxy.
 # Args:
+#   [--strict-network]  - Replace the template's allow-all-GET wildcard with
+#                         network presets for the given stacks (default deny
+#                         beyond the presets and the user-settings layer)
+#   [--stacks "<a b c>"] - Space-separated resolved stack names whose presets
+#                         seed the strict policy (may be empty)
 #   $1 - Path to the settings file
 #   $@ - Service names to include (e.g., claude, copilot, vscode, jetbrains, github)
 # Outputs:
 #   Creates a JSON settings file from template
 settings() {
+	local strict_network=false
+	local stacks=""
+	while [[ $# -gt 0 && "$1" == --* ]]; do
+		case "$1" in
+		--strict-network)
+			strict_network=true
+			shift
+			;;
+		--stacks)
+			stacks="${2-}"
+			shift 2
+			;;
+		*)
+			echo "settings: unknown option: $1" | error
+			return 1
+			;;
+		esac
+	done
 	local settings_file=$1
 	shift
 
@@ -25,6 +48,20 @@ settings() {
 		"$SCT_TEMPLATEDIR/settings.json" \
 		"$settings_file"
 
+	if [[ "$strict_network" == "true" ]]; then
+		# Replace the template's `allow * GET` wildcard with one preset entry
+		# per stack. The names are expanded to concrete allow rules at proxy
+		# start by the mitmproxy addon (NETWORK_PRESETS), so the domain lists
+		# update with the sandcat version instead of freezing in the project.
+		# With no stacks this leaves an empty list: everything beyond the
+		# user-settings layer (agent API hosts) is then denied by default.
+		yq -i -o=json '.network = []' "$settings_file"
+		local s
+		for s in $stacks; do
+			s="$s" yq -i -o=json '.network += [{"preset": strenv(s)}]' "$settings_file"
+		done
+	fi
+
 	echo "Settings file created at $settings_file" | info
 
 	# Empty per-machine overrides scaffold — highest-precedence layer in the
diff --git a/cli/test/init/init.bats b/cli/test/init/init.bats
index 82fc6a8d..315a8e39 100644
--- a/cli/test/init/init.bats
+++ b/cli/test/init/init.bats
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ EOF
 		"'Select IDE:' vscode jetbrains none : echo vscode" \
 		"'Select secret provider:' 1password none protonpass : echo 1password"
 	stub select_multiple \
-		"'Select optional features (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):' 'tui (mitmproxy console instead of web UI)' 'no-shared-cache (per-project dep cache instead of shared)' 'no-gitignore (do not append Sandcat block to .gitignore)' 'no-rtk (do not install rtk shell hook)' : echo ''" \
+		"'Select optional features (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):' 'tui (mitmproxy console instead of web UI)' 'no-shared-cache (per-project dep cache instead of shared)' 'no-gitignore (do not append Sandcat block to .gitignore)' 'no-rtk (do not install rtk shell hook)' 'strict-network (stack presets instead of allow-all-GET wildcard)' : echo ''" \
 		"'Select development stacks (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):' node python java rust go scala ruby dotnet zig : echo ''"
 
 	local expected_name
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ EOF
 		"'Select IDE:' vscode jetbrains none : echo vscode" \
 		"'Select secret provider:' none 1password protonpass : echo none"
 	stub select_multiple \
-		"'Select optional features (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):' 'tui (mitmproxy console instead of web UI)' 'no-shared-cache (per-project dep cache instead of shared)' 'no-gitignore (do not append Sandcat block to .gitignore)' 'no-rtk (do not install rtk shell hook)' : echo ''" \
+		"'Select optional features (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):' 'tui (mitmproxy console instead of web UI)' 'no-shared-cache (per-project dep cache instead of shared)' 'no-gitignore (do not append Sandcat block to .gitignore)' 'no-rtk (do not install rtk shell hook)' 'strict-network (stack presets instead of allow-all-GET wildcard)' : echo ''" \
 		"'Select development stacks (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):' node python java rust go scala ruby dotnet zig : echo ''"
 
 	local expected_name
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ EOF
 		"'Select IDE:' vscode jetbrains none : echo vscode" \
 		"'Select secret provider:' none 1password protonpass : echo none"
 	stub select_multiple \
-		"'Select optional features (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):' 'tui (mitmproxy console instead of web UI)' 'no-shared-cache (per-project dep cache instead of shared)' 'no-gitignore (do not append Sandcat block to .gitignore)' 'no-rtk (do not install rtk shell hook)' : echo 'tui (mitmproxy console instead of web UI)'" \
+		"'Select optional features (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):' 'tui (mitmproxy console instead of web UI)' 'no-shared-cache (per-project dep cache instead of shared)' 'no-gitignore (do not append Sandcat block to .gitignore)' 'no-rtk (do not install rtk shell hook)' 'strict-network (stack presets instead of allow-all-GET wildcard)' : echo 'tui (mitmproxy console instead of web UI)'" \
 		"'Select development stacks (comma-separated numbers, empty for none):' node python java rust go scala ruby dotnet zig : echo ''"
 
 	local expected_name
@@ -661,4 +661,26 @@ EOF
 	run init --agent claude --ide vscode --name test --path "$PROJECT_DIR" --stacks "" --features "bogus" --secret-provider none
 	assert_failure
 	assert_output --partial "no-rtk"
+	assert_output --partial "strict-network"
+}
+
+@test "init --features strict-network passes strict flags with resolved stacks to settings" {
+	stub settings \
+		"--strict-network --stacks python $PROJECT_DIR/.sandcat/settings.json claude vscode : :"
+	stub devcontainer \
+		"--settings-file .sandcat/settings.json --project-path * --agent claude --ide vscode --name test --stacks * --proxy web --secret-provider none : :"
+
+	run init --agent claude --ide vscode --name test --path "$PROJECT_DIR" --stacks "python" --features "strict-network" --secret-provider none
+	assert_success
+	assert_output --partial "Network:          strict — stack presets: python"
+}
+
+@test "init without strict-network reports the default network policy" {
+	stub settings "$PROJECT_DIR/.sandcat/settings.json claude vscode : :"
+	stub devcontainer \
+		"--settings-file .sandcat/settings.json --project-path * --agent claude --ide vscode --name test --stacks * --proxy web --secret-provider none : :"
+
+	run init --agent claude --ide vscode --name test --path "$PROJECT_DIR" --stacks "" --features "" --secret-provider none
+	assert_success
+	assert_output --partial "Network:          default (allow all GET"
 }
diff --git a/cli/test/init/settings.bats b/cli/test/init/settings.bats
index 22770326..7b6a7f76 100644
--- a/cli/test/init/settings.bats
+++ b/cli/test/init/settings.bats
@@ -31,6 +31,45 @@ teardown() {
 	[[ -f "$settings_file" ]]
 }
 
+@test "settings default keeps the template wildcard rule" {
+	local settings_file="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/settings.json"
+
+	run settings "$settings_file" "github"
+	assert_success
+
+	yq -e '.network[0].action == "allow" and .network[0].host == "*" and .network[0].method == "GET"' \
+		"$settings_file"
+}
+
+@test "settings --strict-network seeds stack presets instead of the wildcard" {
+	local settings_file="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/settings.json"
+
+	run settings --strict-network --stacks "python java" "$settings_file" "github"
+	assert_success
+
+	yq -e '.network | length == 2' "$settings_file"
+	yq -e '.network[0].preset == "python"' "$settings_file"
+	yq -e '.network[1].preset == "java"' "$settings_file"
+	# The wildcard must be gone — that is the whole point of strict mode.
+	run yq -e '.network[] | select(.host == "*")' "$settings_file"
+	[ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+}
+
+@test "settings --strict-network with no stacks leaves an empty network list" {
+	local settings_file="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/settings.json"
+
+	run settings --strict-network --stacks "" "$settings_file" "github"
+	assert_success
+
+	yq -e '.network | length == 0' "$settings_file"
+}
+
+@test "settings rejects unknown option" {
+	run settings --no-such-flag "$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/settings.json"
+	assert_failure
+	assert_output --partial "unknown option"
+}
+
 @test "settings creates empty settings.local.json scaffold when absent" {
 	local settings_file="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/settings.json"
 	local local_settings="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/settings.local.json"