fix(auth): aggregate bulk constraint denials into one audit event; ValueTask constraint checks

A bulk command with N denied items wrote N audit events into the bounded,
drop-on-full audit channel, so a low-privilege key could evict every other
pending audit record. Bulk filters now accumulate a ConstraintDenialSummary
(count, constraint names, <=20 sample targets) and write one aggregated
constraint-denied event per command.

The per-item constraint checks are synchronous, so IConstraintEnforcer's
Check* methods now return ValueTask instead of allocating a Task per item.

docs/Authorization.md

@@ -262,9 +262,17 @@ the gateway fails closed.
 
 Non-bulk constraint failures return gRPC `PermissionDenied`. Bulk read
 commands preserve input order and return a failed `SubscribeResult` for each
-denied item while still forwarding allowed items to the worker. Every denial
+denied item while still forwarding allowed items to the worker. A non-bulk
-adds an `api_key_audit` entry with the key id, command kind, target, and
+denial adds one `constraint-denied` audit event (canonical `audit_event` table)
-blocking constraint; secured values and raw credentials are never logged.
+with the key id, command kind, target, and blocking constraint. A bulk command
+adds **one aggregated** `constraint-denied` event per command, not one per
+denied item: its target is `<commandKind>:bulk` and its details carry the
+denied and total item counts, the distinct blocking constraint names, a sample
+of at most 20 denied targets (`sampleTruncated` says whether more were
+denied), and the client correlation id. The audit writer is a bounded channel
+that drops on full, so per-item events let a single low-privilege key flush
+every other pending audit record with one large bulk command. Secured values
+and raw credentials are never logged.
 
 ## Scope Catalog
 

src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.IntegrationTests/WorkerLiveMxAccessSmokeTests.cs

@@ -2112,26 +2112,26 @@ public sealed class WorkerLiveMxAccessSmokeTests(ITestOutputHelper output)
     private sealed class AllowAllConstraintEnforcer : IConstraintEnforcer
     {
         /// <inheritdoc />
-        public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
+        public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
             ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
             string tagAddress,
-            CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+            CancellationToken cancellationToken) => ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
-        public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
+        public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
             ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
             GatewaySession session,
             int serverHandle,
             int itemHandle,
-            CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+            CancellationToken cancellationToken) => ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
-        public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
+        public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
             ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
             GatewaySession session,
             int serverHandle,
             int itemHandle,
-            CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+            CancellationToken cancellationToken) => ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
         public Task RecordDenialAsync(
@@ -2141,6 +2141,14 @@ public sealed class WorkerLiveMxAccessSmokeTests(ITestOutputHelper output)
             ConstraintFailure failure,
             string? correlationId,
             CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.CompletedTask;
+
+        /// <inheritdoc />
+        public Task RecordBulkDenialAsync(
+            ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
+            string commandKind,
+            ConstraintDenialSummary summary,
+            string? correlationId,
+            CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
 }

src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Grpc/MxAccessGatewayService.cs

@@ -488,6 +488,7 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
 
         Dictionary<int, SubscribeResult> denied = [];
         List<string> allowed = [];
+        ConstraintDenialSummary? denialSummary = null;
         for (int index = 0; index < tagAddresses.Count; index++)
         {
             string tagAddress = tagAddresses[index];
@@ -500,8 +501,7 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
                 continue;
             }
 
-            await constraintEnforcer.RecordDenialAsync(identity, command.Kind.ToString(), tagAddress, failure, correlationId, cancellationToken)
+            (denialSummary ??= new ConstraintDenialSummary(tagAddresses.Count)).Add(tagAddress, failure);
-                .ConfigureAwait(false);
             denied[index] = new SubscribeResult
             {
                 ServerHandle = serverHandle,
@@ -511,11 +511,17 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
             };
         }
 
-        if (denied.Count == 0)
+        if (denialSummary is null)
         {
             return null;
         }
 
+        // One aggregated audit event per bulk command, not one per denied item (see
+        // ConstraintDenialSummary for why).
+        await constraintEnforcer
+            .RecordBulkDenialAsync(identity, command.Kind.ToString(), denialSummary, correlationId, cancellationToken)
+            .ConfigureAwait(false);
+
         // Build the filtered command directly instead of cloning the original and clearing it:
         // the clone deep-copied every denied address only to drop it. The payload's other fields
         // (server_handle) are copied across explicitly. Nothing aliases the request here — these
@@ -556,6 +562,7 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
 
         Dictionary<int, BulkReadResult> denied = [];
         List<string> allowed = [];
+        ConstraintDenialSummary? denialSummary = null;
         for (int index = 0; index < tagAddresses.Count; index++)
         {
             string tagAddress = tagAddresses[index];
@@ -568,8 +575,7 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
                 continue;
             }
 
-            await constraintEnforcer.RecordDenialAsync(identity, command.Kind.ToString(), tagAddress, failure, correlationId, cancellationToken)
+            (denialSummary ??= new ConstraintDenialSummary(tagAddresses.Count)).Add(tagAddress, failure);
-                .ConfigureAwait(false);
             denied[index] = new BulkReadResult
             {
                 ServerHandle = serverHandle,
@@ -580,11 +586,17 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
             };
         }
 
-        if (denied.Count == 0)
+        if (denialSummary is null)
         {
             return null;
         }
 
+        // One aggregated audit event per bulk command, not one per denied item (see
+        // ConstraintDenialSummary for why).
+        await constraintEnforcer
+            .RecordBulkDenialAsync(identity, command.Kind.ToString(), denialSummary, correlationId, cancellationToken)
+            .ConfigureAwait(false);
+
         MxCommand filtered = new() { Kind = command.Kind };
         ReadBulkCommand payload = new()
         {
@@ -621,6 +633,7 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
 
         Dictionary<int, BulkWriteResult> denied = [];
         List<TEntry> allowed = [];
+        ConstraintDenialSummary? denialSummary = null;
         for (int index = 0; index < entries.Count; index++)
         {
             TEntry entry = entries[index];
@@ -634,14 +647,7 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
                 continue;
             }
 
-            await constraintEnforcer.RecordDenialAsync(
+            (denialSummary ??= new ConstraintDenialSummary(entries.Count)).Add(itemHandle, failure);
-                    identity,
-                    command.Kind.ToString(),
-                    itemHandle.ToString(System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture),
-                    failure,
-                    correlationId,
-                    cancellationToken)
-                .ConfigureAwait(false);
             denied[index] = new BulkWriteResult
             {
                 ServerHandle = serverHandle,
@@ -651,11 +657,17 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
             };
         }
 
-        if (denied.Count == 0)
+        if (denialSummary is null)
         {
             return null;
         }
 
+        // One aggregated audit event per bulk command, not one per denied item (see
+        // ConstraintDenialSummary for why).
+        await constraintEnforcer
+            .RecordBulkDenialAsync(identity, command.Kind.ToString(), denialSummary, correlationId, cancellationToken)
+            .ConfigureAwait(false);
+
         return new WriteBulkConstraintPlan(
             BuildFilteredWriteBulkCommand(command, allowed),
             entries.Count,
@@ -742,6 +754,7 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
 
         Dictionary<int, SubscribeResult> denied = [];
         List<int> allowed = [];
+        ConstraintDenialSummary? denialSummary = null;
         for (int index = 0; index < itemHandles.Count; index++)
         {
             int itemHandle = itemHandles[index];
@@ -754,8 +767,7 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
                 continue;
             }
 
-            await constraintEnforcer.RecordDenialAsync(identity, command.Kind.ToString(), itemHandle.ToString(System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture), failure, correlationId, cancellationToken)
+            (denialSummary ??= new ConstraintDenialSummary(itemHandles.Count)).Add(itemHandle, failure);
-                .ConfigureAwait(false);
             denied[index] = new SubscribeResult
             {
                 ServerHandle = serverHandle,
@@ -765,11 +777,17 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayService(
             };
         }
 
-        if (denied.Count == 0)
+        if (denialSummary is null)
         {
             return null;
         }
 
+        // One aggregated audit event per bulk command, not one per denied item (see
+        // ConstraintDenialSummary for why).
+        await constraintEnforcer
+            .RecordBulkDenialAsync(identity, command.Kind.ToString(), denialSummary, correlationId, cancellationToken)
+            .ConfigureAwait(false);
+
         MxCommand filtered = new() { Kind = command.Kind };
         AdviseItemBulkCommand payload = new() { ServerHandle = command.AdviseItemBulk.ServerHandle };
         payload.ItemHandles.Add(allowed);

src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Security/Authorization/ConstraintDenialSummary.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+using System.Globalization;
+
+namespace ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server.Security.Authorization;
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Accumulates the constraint denials of one bulk command so they are audited as a single
+///     aggregated event rather than one event per denied item.
+/// </summary>
+/// <remarks>
+///     A bulk command can carry thousands of items, and the audit writer is a bounded, drop-on-full
+///     channel. One audit event per denied item let a single low-privilege key flood that channel and
+///     push every other audit record out of it. The summary keeps the forensic signal — how many items
+///     were denied, which constraints denied them, and a bounded sample of the targets — at a fixed
+///     cost of one audit event per command.
+/// </remarks>
+public sealed class ConstraintDenialSummary
+{
+    /// <summary>The maximum number of denied targets retained as a sample.</summary>
+    public const int MaxSampleTargets = 20;
+
+    private readonly List<string> _constraintNames = [];
+    private readonly List<string> _sampleTargets = [];
+
+    /// <summary>Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="ConstraintDenialSummary"/> class.</summary>
+    /// <param name="totalCount">The number of items the bulk command carried.</param>
+    public ConstraintDenialSummary(int totalCount)
+    {
+        TotalCount = totalCount;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Gets the number of items the bulk command carried.</summary>
+    public int TotalCount { get; }
+
+    /// <summary>Gets the number of items denied.</summary>
+    public int DeniedCount { get; private set; }
+
+    /// <summary>Gets the distinct constraint names that denied at least one item, in first-seen order.</summary>
+    public IReadOnlyList<string> ConstraintNames => _constraintNames;
+
+    /// <summary>Gets up to <see cref="MaxSampleTargets"/> denied targets, in item order.</summary>
+    public IReadOnlyList<string> SampleTargets => _sampleTargets;
+
+    /// <summary>Gets a value indicating whether more items were denied than the sample retains.</summary>
+    public bool SampleTruncated => DeniedCount > _sampleTargets.Count;
+
+    /// <summary>Records one denied tag-address item.</summary>
+    /// <param name="target">The denied tag address.</param>
+    /// <param name="failure">The constraint failure that denied it.</param>
+    public void Add(string target, ConstraintFailure failure)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(failure);
+        AddConstraint(failure.ConstraintName);
+        if (_sampleTargets.Count < MaxSampleTargets)
+        {
+            _sampleTargets.Add(target);
+        }
+
+        DeniedCount++;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Records one denied item-handle item.</summary>
+    /// <param name="itemHandle">The denied MXAccess item handle.</param>
+    /// <param name="failure">The constraint failure that denied it.</param>
+    /// <remarks>The handle is formatted only while the sample still has room.</remarks>
+    public void Add(int itemHandle, ConstraintFailure failure)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(failure);
+        AddConstraint(failure.ConstraintName);
+        if (_sampleTargets.Count < MaxSampleTargets)
+        {
+            _sampleTargets.Add(itemHandle.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture));
+        }
+
+        DeniedCount++;
+    }
+
+    private void AddConstraint(string constraintName)
+    {
+        // The constraint vocabulary is a handful of fixed names, so a linear scan beats a set.
+        for (int index = 0; index < _constraintNames.Count; index++)
+        {
+            if (string.Equals(_constraintNames[index], constraintName, StringComparison.Ordinal))
+            {
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        _constraintNames.Add(constraintName);
+    }
+}

src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Security/Authorization/ConstraintEnforcer.cs

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public sealed class ConstraintEnforcer(
         identity?.EffectiveConstraints.HasWriteConstraints ?? false;
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
+    public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         string tagAddress,
         CancellationToken cancellationToken)
@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@ public sealed class ConstraintEnforcer(
         ApiKeyConstraints constraints = identity?.EffectiveConstraints ?? ApiKeyConstraints.Empty;
         if (!constraints.HasReadConstraints)
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
         }
 
-        return Task.FromResult(CheckReadTarget(constraints, tagAddress));
+        return ValueTask.FromResult(CheckReadTarget(constraints, tagAddress));
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
+    public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         GatewaySession session,
         int serverHandle,
@@ -50,19 +50,19 @@ public sealed class ConstraintEnforcer(
         ApiKeyConstraints constraints = identity?.EffectiveConstraints ?? ApiKeyConstraints.Empty;
         if (!constraints.HasReadConstraints)
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
         }
 
         if (!session.TryGetItemRegistration(serverHandle, itemHandle, out SessionItemRegistration registration))
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("item_handle", "Item handle is not registered in the constrained session."));
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("item_handle", "Item handle is not registered in the constrained session."));
         }
 
-        return Task.FromResult(CheckReadTarget(constraints, registration.TagAddress));
+        return ValueTask.FromResult(CheckReadTarget(constraints, registration.TagAddress));
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
+    public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         GatewaySession session,
         int serverHandle,
@@ -72,23 +72,23 @@ public sealed class ConstraintEnforcer(
         ApiKeyConstraints constraints = identity?.EffectiveConstraints ?? ApiKeyConstraints.Empty;
         if (!constraints.HasWriteConstraints)
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
         }
 
         if (!session.TryGetItemRegistration(serverHandle, itemHandle, out SessionItemRegistration registration))
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("item_handle", "Item handle is not registered in the constrained session."));
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("item_handle", "Item handle is not registered in the constrained session."));
         }
 
         GalaxyTagLookup? target = ResolveTarget(registration.TagAddress);
         if (target is null)
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("tag_metadata", "Tag metadata is not available in the Galaxy hierarchy cache."));
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("tag_metadata", "Tag metadata is not available in the Galaxy hierarchy cache."));
         }
 
         if (!MatchesPathOrTag(target.ContainedPath, registration.TagAddress, constraints.WriteSubtrees, constraints.WriteTagGlobs))
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("write_scope", "Tag is outside the API key write scope."));
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("write_scope", "Tag is outside the API key write scope."));
         }
 
         if (constraints.MaxWriteClassification is { } maxClassification)
@@ -96,18 +96,18 @@ public sealed class ConstraintEnforcer(
             GalaxyAttribute? attribute = target.Attribute;
             if (attribute is null)
             {
-                return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("max_write_classification", "Attribute security classification is not available."));
+                return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure("max_write_classification", "Attribute security classification is not available."));
             }
 
             if (attribute.SecurityClassification > maxClassification)
             {
-                return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure(
+                return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(new ConstraintFailure(
                     "max_write_classification",
                     $"Attribute security classification {attribute.SecurityClassification} exceeds allowed maximum {maxClassification}."));
             }
         }
 
-        return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+        return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
@@ -150,6 +150,46 @@ public sealed class ConstraintEnforcer(
         await auditWriter.WriteAsync(auditEvent, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
     }
 
+    /// <inheritdoc />
+    public async Task RecordBulkDenialAsync(
+        ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
+        string commandKind,
+        ConstraintDenialSummary summary,
+        string? correlationId,
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(summary);
+        if (summary.DeniedCount == 0)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // One event for the whole command. Target stays "<commandKind>:<target>"-shaped so audit
+        // queries that split on ':' keep working; the "bulk" target marks the aggregated form.
+        AuditEvent auditEvent = new()
+        {
+            EventId = Guid.NewGuid(),
+            OccurredAtUtc = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow,
+            Actor = identity?.KeyId ?? "anonymous",
+            Action = "constraint-denied",
+            Outcome = AuditOutcome.Denied,
+            Category = CanonicalForwardingApiKeyAuditStore.ApiKeyCategory,
+            Target = $"{commandKind}:bulk",
+            SourceNode = null,
+            CorrelationId = Guid.TryParse(correlationId, out var cid) ? cid : (Guid?)null,
+            DetailsJson = JsonSerializer.Serialize(new BulkDenialDetails(
+                summary.ConstraintNames,
+                commandKind,
+                summary.DeniedCount,
+                summary.TotalCount,
+                summary.SampleTargets,
+                summary.SampleTruncated,
+                correlationId ?? "")),
+        };
+
+        await auditWriter.WriteAsync(auditEvent, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+    }
+
     private ConstraintFailure? CheckReadTarget(
         ApiKeyConstraints constraints,
         string tagAddress)
@@ -240,4 +280,15 @@ public sealed class ConstraintEnforcer(
 
         return false;
     }
+
+    // DetailsJson shape of an aggregated bulk denial. Serialized with camelCase names to match the
+    // single-item envelope's keys ("commandKind", "clientCorrelationId").
+    private sealed record BulkDenialDetails(
+        [property: System.Text.Json.Serialization.JsonPropertyName("constraints")] IReadOnlyList<string> Constraints,
+        [property: System.Text.Json.Serialization.JsonPropertyName("commandKind")] string CommandKind,
+        [property: System.Text.Json.Serialization.JsonPropertyName("deniedCount")] int DeniedCount,
+        [property: System.Text.Json.Serialization.JsonPropertyName("totalCount")] int TotalCount,
+        [property: System.Text.Json.Serialization.JsonPropertyName("sampleTargets")] IReadOnlyList<string> SampleTargets,
+        [property: System.Text.Json.Serialization.JsonPropertyName("sampleTruncated")] bool SampleTruncated,
+        [property: System.Text.Json.Serialization.JsonPropertyName("clientCorrelationId")] string ClientCorrelationId);
 }

src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Security/Authorization/IConstraintEnforcer.cs

@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@ using ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server.Sessions;
 
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server.Security.Authorization;
 
+/// <summary>Enforces API-key read/write constraints and records constraint denials for audit.</summary>
+/// <remarks>
+///     The per-item checks return <see cref="ValueTask{TResult}"/> because every production check is
+///     synchronous (an in-memory Galaxy hierarchy lookup) and runs once per item of a bulk command:
+///     a <see cref="Task{TResult}"/> return allocated a task per item for a value that was already
+///     known. An implementation that genuinely needs to await still can.
+/// </remarks>
 public interface IConstraintEnforcer
 {
     /// <summary>
@@ -34,7 +41,7 @@ public interface IConstraintEnforcer
     /// <param name="tagAddress">Tag address to check.</param>
     /// <param name="cancellationToken">Token to observe for cancellation.</param>
     /// <returns>The constraint failure details if denied; otherwise null.</returns>
-    Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
+    ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         string tagAddress,
         CancellationToken cancellationToken);
@@ -46,7 +53,7 @@ public interface IConstraintEnforcer
     /// <param name="itemHandle">The MXAccess item handle.</param>
     /// <param name="cancellationToken">Token to observe for cancellation.</param>
     /// <returns>The constraint failure details if denied; otherwise null.</returns>
-    Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
+    ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         GatewaySession session,
         int serverHandle,
@@ -60,7 +67,7 @@ public interface IConstraintEnforcer
     /// <param name="itemHandle">The MXAccess item handle.</param>
     /// <param name="cancellationToken">Token to observe for cancellation.</param>
     /// <returns>The constraint failure details if denied; otherwise null.</returns>
-    Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
+    ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         GatewaySession session,
         int serverHandle,
@@ -85,4 +92,25 @@ public interface IConstraintEnforcer
         ConstraintFailure failure,
         string? correlationId,
         CancellationToken cancellationToken);
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Records every constraint denial of one bulk command as a single aggregated audit event.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="identity">The API key identity.</param>
+    /// <param name="commandKind">The kind of bulk command whose items were denied.</param>
+    /// <param name="summary">The accumulated denials: count, constraint names and a bounded target sample.</param>
+    /// <param name="correlationId">The per-request client correlation id, if any (same handling as <see cref="RecordDenialAsync"/>).</param>
+    /// <param name="cancellationToken">Token to observe for cancellation.</param>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    /// <remarks>
+    ///     Bulk callers use this instead of one <see cref="RecordDenialAsync"/> per item: the audit
+    ///     channel is bounded and drops on full, so per-item events let one bulk command evict every
+    ///     other pending audit record.
+    /// </remarks>
+    Task RecordBulkDenialAsync(
+        ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
+        string commandKind,
+        ConstraintDenialSummary summary,
+        string? correlationId,
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken);
 }

src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Gateway/Grpc/MxAccessGatewayServiceConstraintTests.cs

@@ -87,8 +87,56 @@ public sealed class MxAccessGatewayServiceConstraintTests
         Assert.True(merged.Results[3].WasSuccessful);
         Assert.Equal("Tank04.Public", merged.Results[3].TagAddress);
         Assert.Equal(104, merged.Results[3].ItemHandle);
-        // Both denied tags recorded.
+        // Both denied tags recorded in ONE aggregated bulk denial, not one audit call per item.
-        Assert.Equal(2, enforcer.RecordedDenials.Count);
+        Assert.Empty(enforcer.RecordedDenials);
+        (string commandKind, ConstraintDenialSummary summary, _) = Assert.Single(enforcer.RecordedBulkDenials);
+        Assert.Equal(nameof(MxCommandKind.AddItemBulk), commandKind);
+        Assert.Equal(2, summary.DeniedCount);
+        Assert.Equal(4, summary.TotalCount);
+        Assert.Equal(["Tank01.Locked", "Tank03.Secret"], summary.SampleTargets);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Audit-flood guard: a bulk write whose every entry is denied records exactly one
+    ///     aggregated denial carrying the full denied count, the client correlation id and a sample
+    ///     capped at <see cref="ConstraintDenialSummary.MaxSampleTargets"/> — so one low-privilege
+    ///     key cannot push thousands of events into the bounded, drop-on-full audit channel.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Invoke_WriteBulk_WithManyDeniedEntries_RecordsOneAggregatedDenial()
+    {
+        const int EntryCount = 500;
+        PredicateConstraintEnforcer enforcer = new() { DenyWriteHandle = (_, _) => true };
+        FakeSessionManager sessionManager = CreateSessionManagerWithSeed();
+        MxAccessGatewayService service = CreateService(sessionManager, enforcer);
+        WriteBulkCommand payload = new() { ServerHandle = 7 };
+        for (int index = 0; index < EntryCount; index++)
+        {
+            payload.Entries.Add(new WriteBulkEntry { ItemHandle = index + 1 });
+        }
+
+        MxCommandRequest request = new()
+        {
+            SessionId = SessionId,
+            ClientCorrelationId = "bulk-flood-1",
+            Command = new MxCommand { Kind = MxCommandKind.WriteBulk, WriteBulk = payload },
+        };
+
+        MxCommandReply reply = await service.Invoke(request, new TestServerCallContext());
+
+        Assert.Equal(0, sessionManager.InvokeCount);
+        Assert.Equal(EntryCount, reply.WriteBulk.Results.Count);
+        Assert.Empty(enforcer.RecordedDenials);
+        (string commandKind, ConstraintDenialSummary summary, string? correlationId) =
+            Assert.Single(enforcer.RecordedBulkDenials);
+        Assert.Equal(nameof(MxCommandKind.WriteBulk), commandKind);
+        Assert.Equal("bulk-flood-1", correlationId);
+        Assert.Equal(EntryCount, summary.DeniedCount);
+        Assert.Equal(EntryCount, summary.TotalCount);
+        Assert.Equal(ConstraintDenialSummary.MaxSampleTargets, summary.SampleTargets.Count);
+        Assert.True(summary.SampleTruncated);
+        Assert.Equal(["write-handle"], summary.ConstraintNames);
     }
 
     /// <summary>

src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Security/Authorization/ConstraintEnforcerTests.cs

@@ -154,6 +154,70 @@ public sealed class ConstraintEnforcerTests
         Assert.Equal("Read:Secret.Tag", auditEvent.Target);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     A bulk denial is written as ONE audit event carrying the denied/total counts, the distinct
+    ///     constraint names and a sample capped at <see cref="ConstraintDenialSummary.MaxSampleTargets"/>,
+    ///     however many items were denied.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task RecordBulkDenialAsync_WritesOneAggregatedEventWithBoundedSample()
+    {
+        ConstraintEnforcer enforcer = CreateEnforcer(out FakeAuditWriter auditWriter);
+        ConstraintDenialSummary summary = new(totalCount: 1000);
+        for (int index = 0; index < 999; index++)
+        {
+            summary.Add(
+                $"Area1.Tag{index}",
+                index % 2 == 0
+                    ? new ConstraintFailure("read_scope", "Tag is outside the API key read scope.")
+                    : new ConstraintFailure("tag_metadata", "Tag metadata is not available."));
+        }
+
+        await enforcer.RecordBulkDenialAsync(
+            CreateIdentity(ApiKeyConstraints.Empty),
+            "ReadBulk",
+            summary,
+            "trace-1",
+            CancellationToken.None);
+
+        AuditEvent auditEvent = Assert.Single(auditWriter.Events);
+        Assert.Equal("operator01", auditEvent.Actor);
+        Assert.Equal("constraint-denied", auditEvent.Action);
+        Assert.Equal(AuditOutcome.Denied, auditEvent.Outcome);
+        Assert.Equal("ReadBulk:bulk", auditEvent.Target);
+        Assert.Null(auditEvent.CorrelationId);
+
+        using JsonDocument details = JsonDocument.Parse(auditEvent.DetailsJson!);
+        JsonElement root = details.RootElement;
+        Assert.Equal(999, root.GetProperty("deniedCount").GetInt32());
+        Assert.Equal(1000, root.GetProperty("totalCount").GetInt32());
+        Assert.True(root.GetProperty("sampleTruncated").GetBoolean());
+        Assert.Equal(ConstraintDenialSummary.MaxSampleTargets, root.GetProperty("sampleTargets").GetArrayLength());
+        Assert.Equal(
+            ["read_scope", "tag_metadata"],
+            root.GetProperty("constraints").EnumerateArray().Select(e => e.GetString() ?? string.Empty).ToArray());
+        Assert.Equal("ReadBulk", root.GetProperty("commandKind").GetString());
+        Assert.Equal("trace-1", root.GetProperty("clientCorrelationId").GetString());
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>An empty summary (nothing denied) writes no audit event at all.</summary>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task RecordBulkDenialAsync_WithNoDenials_WritesNothing()
+    {
+        ConstraintEnforcer enforcer = CreateEnforcer(out FakeAuditWriter auditWriter);
+
+        await enforcer.RecordBulkDenialAsync(
+            identity: null,
+            "ReadBulk",
+            new ConstraintDenialSummary(totalCount: 3),
+            correlationId: null,
+            CancellationToken.None);
+
+        Assert.Empty(auditWriter.Events);
+    }
+
     /// <summary>Verifies that historized-only constraint requires historized attribute.</summary>
     /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     [Fact]

src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/TestSupport/AllowAllConstraintEnforcer.cs

@@ -11,26 +11,26 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests.TestSupport;
 public sealed class AllowAllConstraintEnforcer : IConstraintEnforcer
 {
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
+    public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         string tagAddress,
-        CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken) => ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
+    public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         GatewaySession session,
         int serverHandle,
         int itemHandle,
-        CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken) => ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
+    public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         GatewaySession session,
         int serverHandle,
         int itemHandle,
-        CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken) => ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public Task RecordDenialAsync(
@@ -40,4 +40,12 @@ public sealed class AllowAllConstraintEnforcer : IConstraintEnforcer
         ConstraintFailure failure,
         string? correlationId,
         CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.CompletedTask;
+
+    /// <inheritdoc />
+    public Task RecordBulkDenialAsync(
+        ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
+        string commandKind,
+        ConstraintDenialSummary summary,
+        string? correlationId,
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken) => Task.CompletedTask;
 }

src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/TestSupport/PredicateConstraintEnforcer.cs

@@ -26,23 +26,26 @@ public sealed class PredicateConstraintEnforcer : IConstraintEnforcer
     /// <summary>Recorded denial messages — (commandKind, target, correlationId) tuples.</summary>
     public List<(string CommandKind, string Target, string? CorrelationId)> RecordedDenials { get; } = [];
 
+    /// <summary>Recorded aggregated bulk denials — one entry per bulk command that had any item denied.</summary>
+    public List<(string CommandKind, ConstraintDenialSummary Summary, string? CorrelationId)> RecordedBulkDenials { get; } = [];
+
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
+    public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadTagAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         string tagAddress,
         CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
         if (DenyTag(tagAddress))
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(
                 new ConstraintFailure("read-tag", $"Read denied for tag '{tagAddress}'."));
         }
 
-        return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+        return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
+    public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckReadHandleAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         GatewaySession session,
         int serverHandle,
@@ -51,15 +54,15 @@ public sealed class PredicateConstraintEnforcer : IConstraintEnforcer
     {
         if (DenyReadHandle(serverHandle, itemHandle))
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(
                 new ConstraintFailure("read-handle", $"Read denied for handle {itemHandle}."));
         }
 
-        return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+        return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public Task<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
+    public ValueTask<ConstraintFailure?> CheckWriteHandleAsync(
         ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
         GatewaySession session,
         int serverHandle,
@@ -68,11 +71,11 @@ public sealed class PredicateConstraintEnforcer : IConstraintEnforcer
     {
         if (DenyWriteHandle(serverHandle, itemHandle))
         {
-            return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(
+            return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(
                 new ConstraintFailure("write-handle", $"Write denied for handle {itemHandle}."));
         }
 
-        return Task.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
+        return ValueTask.FromResult<ConstraintFailure?>(null);
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
@@ -87,4 +90,16 @@ public sealed class PredicateConstraintEnforcer : IConstraintEnforcer
         RecordedDenials.Add((commandKind, target, correlationId));
         return Task.CompletedTask;
     }
+
+    /// <inheritdoc />
+    public Task RecordBulkDenialAsync(
+        ApiKeyIdentity? identity,
+        string commandKind,
+        ConstraintDenialSummary summary,
+        string? correlationId,
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        RecordedBulkDenials.Add((commandKind, summary, correlationId));
+        return Task.CompletedTask;
+    }
 }