diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index ba60b94..a601f65 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -118,31 +118,28 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           tag="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
           echo "tag=$tag" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-          # Pull the latest entry from CVES.md / ROADMAP.md for the body
-          {
-            echo "## SKELETONKEY $tag"
-            echo
-            echo "Pre-built binaries for x86_64 and arm64. Checksums alongside."
-            echo
-            echo "### Install"
-            echo
-            echo '```bash'
-            echo "curl -sSLfo /tmp/skeletonkey https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/releases/download/${tag}/skeletonkey-\$(uname -m | sed s/aarch64/arm64/)"
-            echo "chmod +x /tmp/skeletonkey && sudo mv /tmp/skeletonkey /usr/local/bin/skeletonkey"
-            echo "skeletonkey --version"
-            echo '```'
-            echo
-            echo "Or one-shot via the install script:"
-            echo
-            echo '```bash'
-            echo "curl -sSL https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/releases/download/${tag}/install.sh | sh"
-            echo '```'
-            echo
-            echo "### What's in this release"
-            echo
-            echo "See [\`CVES.md\`](https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/blob/${tag}/CVES.md) for the curated CVE inventory."
-            echo "See [\`ROADMAP.md\`](https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/blob/${tag}/ROADMAP.md) for phase progress."
-          } > release-notes.md
+          # Prefer the hand-written release notes if present (richer
+          # per-release context); otherwise fall back to an auto-generated
+          # stub with install instructions + pointers to docs.
+          if [ -f docs/RELEASE_NOTES.md ]; then
+            cp docs/RELEASE_NOTES.md release-notes.md
+          else
+            {
+              echo "## SKELETONKEY $tag"
+              echo
+              echo "Pre-built binaries for x86_64 (dynamic + static-musl) and arm64."
+              echo "Checksums alongside each artifact."
+              echo
+              echo "### Install"
+              echo '```bash'
+              echo "curl -sSL https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/releases/download/${tag}/install.sh | sh"
+              echo "skeletonkey --version"
+              echo '```'
+              echo
+              echo "See [\`CVES.md\`](https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/blob/${tag}/CVES.md) for the CVE inventory."
+              echo "See [\`docs/RELEASE_NOTES.md\`](https://github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/blob/${tag}/docs/RELEASE_NOTES.md) for per-release detail."
+            } > release-notes.md
+          fi
 
       - name: publish release
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
diff --git a/docs/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/docs/RELEASE_NOTES.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef9d0b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+## SKELETONKEY v0.7.0 — empirical verification + operator briefing
+
+The headline change since v0.6.0: **22 of 26 CVEs are now empirically
+confirmed against real Linux kernels in VMs**, with verification records
+baked into the binary and surfaced in `--list`, `--module-info`, and
+`--explain`. The four still-unverified entries (`vmwgfx`, `dirty_cow`,
+`dirtydecrypt`, `fragnesia`) are blocked by their target environment
+(VMware-only, ≤4.4 kernel, Linux 7.0 not yet shipping), not by missing
+code — see
+[`tools/verify-vm/targets.yaml`](https://github.com/KaraZajac/SKELETONKEY/blob/main/tools/verify-vm/targets.yaml)
+for the rationale.
+
+### Install
+
+Pre-built binaries below (x86_64 dynamic, x86_64 static-musl, arm64
+dynamic; all checksum-verified). Recommended for new installs:
+
+```bash
+curl -sSL https://github.com/KaraZajac/SKELETONKEY/releases/latest/download/install.sh | sh
+skeletonkey --version
+```
+
+Static-musl x86_64 is the default — works back to glibc 2.17, no
+library dependencies.
+
+### What's in this release
+
+**Empirical verification (the big one)**
+- `tools/verify-vm/` — Vagrant + Parallels scaffold. Boots
+  known-vulnerable kernels (stock distro or mainline via
+  `kernel.ubuntu.com/mainline/`), runs `--explain --active` per module,
+  records match/mismatch as JSONL.
+- 22 modules confirmed end-to-end across Ubuntu 18.04 / 20.04 / 22.04 +
+  Debian 11 / 12 + mainline kernels 5.15.5 / 6.1.10.
+- Per-module `verified_on[]` table baked into the binary. `--list` adds
+  a `VFY` column showing ✓ per verified module; footer prints
+  `31 modules registered · 10 in CISA KEV (★) · 22 empirically verified
+  in real VMs (✓)`.
+- `--module-info <name>` adds a `--- verified on ---` section.
+- `--explain <name>` adds a `VERIFIED ON` section.
+
+**`--explain MODULE` — one-page operator briefing**
+
+A single command renders, for any module: CVE / CWE / MITRE ATT&CK /
+CISA KEV status, host fingerprint, **live `detect()` trace** with
+verdict and interpretation, **OPSEC footprint** (what an exploit
+would leave on this host), detection-rule coverage matrix, and
+verification records. Paste-ready for triage tickets and SOC handoffs.
+
+**CVE metadata pipeline**
+
+`tools/refresh-cve-metadata.py` fetches CISA's Known Exploited
+Vulnerabilities catalog + NVD CWE classifications, generates
+`docs/CVE_METADATA.json` + `docs/KEV_CROSSREF.md` + the in-binary
+lookup table. **10 of 26 modules cover KEV-listed CVEs.** MITRE ATT&CK
+technique mapping (T1068 by default; T1611 for container escapes;
+T1082 for kernel info leaks). All surfaced in `--list` (★ column),
+`--module-info`, `--explain`, and `--scan --json` (new `triage`
+sub-object per module).
+
+**Per-module OPSEC notes**
+
+Every module's struct now carries an `opsec_notes` paragraph describing
+the runtime telemetry footprint: file artifacts, dmesg signatures,
+syscall observables, network activity, persistence side effects,
+cleanup behavior. Grounded in source + existing detection rules — the
+inverse of what the auditd/sigma/yara/falco rules look for. Surfaced
+in `--module-info` (text + JSON) and `--explain`.
+
+**119 detection rules across all 4 SIEM formats**
+
+Previously: auditd everywhere, sigma on top-10, yara/falco only on a
+handful. Now: 30/31 auditd, 31/31 sigma, 28/31 yara, 30/31 falco
+(the 3 remaining gaps are intentional skips — `entrybleed` is a pure
+timing side-channel with no syscall/file footprint;
+`ptrace_traceme` and `sudo_samedit` are pure-memory races with no
+on-disk artifacts).
+
+**Test harness**
+
+88 tests on every push: 33 kernel_range / host-fingerprint unit tests
+(`tests/test_kernel_range.c` — boundary conditions, NULL safety,
+multi-LTS, mainline-only) + 55 `detect()` integration tests
+(`tests/test_detect.c` — synthetic host fingerprints across 26
+modules). Coverage report at the end identifies any modules without
+direct test rows.
+
+**`core/host.c` shared host-fingerprint refactor**
+
+One probe of kernel / arch / distro / userns gates / apparmor /
+selinux / lockdown / sudo + polkit versions at startup. Every
+module's `detect()` consumes `ctx->host`. Adds `meltdown_mitigation[]`
+passthrough so `entrybleed` can distinguish "Not affected" (CPU
+immune; OK) from "Mitigation: PTI" (KPTI on; vulnerable to
+EntryBleed) without re-reading sysfs.
+
+**kernel_range drift detector**
+
+`tools/refresh-kernel-ranges.py` polls Debian's security tracker and
+reports drift between the embedded `kernel_patched_from` tables and
+what Debian actually ships. Already used to apply 9 corpus fixes in
+v0.7.0; 9 more `TOO_TIGHT` findings pending per-commit verification.
+
+**Marketing-grade landing page**
+
+[karazajac.github.io/SKELETONKEY](https://karazajac.github.io/SKELETONKEY/)
+— animated hero, `--explain` showcase with line-by-line typed terminal,
+bento-grid features, KEV / verification stat chips. New Open Graph
+card renders correctly on Twitter/LinkedIn/Slack/Discord.
+
+### Real findings from the verifier
+
+A handful of cases that show the project's "verified-vs-claimed bar"
+thesis paying off in real time:
+
+- **`dirty_pipe` on Ubuntu 22.04 (5.15.0-91-generic)** — version-only
+  check would say VULNERABLE (5.15.0 < 5.15.25 backport in our table),
+  but Ubuntu has silently backported the fix into the -91 patch level.
+  `--active` correctly identified the primitive as blocked → OK. Only
+  an empirical probe can tell.
+- **`af_packet` on Ubuntu 18.04 (4.15.0-213-generic)** — our target
+  expectation was wrong; 4.15 is post-fix. Caught + corrected by the
+  verifier sweep.
+- **`sudoedit_editor` on Ubuntu 22.04** — sudo 1.9.9 is the vulnerable
+  version, but the default vagrant user has no sudoers grant to abuse.
+  `detect()` correctly returns PRECOND_FAIL ("vuln version present, no
+  grant to abuse").
+
+### Coverage by audience
+
+- **Red team**: `--auto` ranks vulnerable modules by safety + runs the
+  safest, OPSEC notes per exploit, JSON for pipelines, no telemetry.
+- **Blue team**: 119 detection rules in all 4 SIEM formats, CISA KEV
+  prioritization, MITRE ATT&CK + CWE annotated, `--explain` triage
+  briefings.
+- **Researchers**: Source is the docs. CVE metadata sourced from
+  federal databases. `--explain` shows the reasoning chain. 22 VM
+  confirmations for trust.
+- **Sysadmins**: `--scan` works without sudo. Static-musl binary
+  drops on any Linux. JSON output for CI gates.
+
+### Compatibility
+
+- Default install: static-musl x86_64 — works on every Linux back to
+  glibc 2.17 (RHEL 7, Debian 9, Ubuntu 14.04+, Alpine, anything).
+- Also published: dynamic x86_64 (faster, modern glibc only) and
+  dynamic arm64 (Raspberry Pi 4+, Apple Silicon Linux VMs, ARM
+  servers).
+
+### Authorized testing only
+
+SKELETONKEY runs real exploits. By using it you assert you have
+explicit authorization to test the target system. See
+[`docs/ETHICS.md`](https://github.com/KaraZajac/SKELETONKEY/blob/main/docs/ETHICS.md).
+
+### Links
+
+- [CVE inventory](https://github.com/KaraZajac/SKELETONKEY/blob/main/CVES.md)
+- [Verification records](https://github.com/KaraZajac/SKELETONKEY/blob/main/docs/VERIFICATIONS.jsonl)
+- [KEV cross-reference](https://github.com/KaraZajac/SKELETONKEY/blob/main/docs/KEV_CROSSREF.md)
+- [Detection playbook](https://github.com/KaraZajac/SKELETONKEY/blob/main/docs/DETECTION_PLAYBOOK.md)
+- [Architecture](https://github.com/KaraZajac/SKELETONKEY/blob/main/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md)
+- [Roadmap](https://github.com/KaraZajac/SKELETONKEY/blob/main/ROADMAP.md)
diff --git a/skeletonkey.c b/skeletonkey.c
index e085c02..5d1aff7 100644
--- a/skeletonkey.c
+++ b/skeletonkey.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#define SKELETONKEY_VERSION "0.6.0"
+#define SKELETONKEY_VERSION "0.7.0"
 
 static const char BANNER[] =
 "\n"