diff --git a/aikido_zen/helpers/get_ip_from_request.py b/aikido_zen/helpers/get_ip_from_request.py
index 73de267ab..308c66015 100644
--- a/aikido_zen/helpers/get_ip_from_request.py
+++ b/aikido_zen/helpers/get_ip_from_request.py
@@ -48,11 +48,11 @@ def get_client_ip_from_header(value):
 
 def trust_proxy():
     """
-    Checks the environment variables for `AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY`, Defaults to true.
+    Checks the environment variables for `AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY`, Defaults to false.
     """
     trust_proxy_env = os.getenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY")
     if not trust_proxy_env:
-        return True  # default to trusting proxy
+        return False  # default to not trusting proxy headers for security
 
     if trust_proxy_env.lower() in ["0", "false"]:
         return False
diff --git a/aikido_zen/helpers/get_ip_from_request_test.py b/aikido_zen/helpers/get_ip_from_request_test.py
index d34404ddc..aeef8a42b 100644
--- a/aikido_zen/helpers/get_ip_from_request_test.py
+++ b/aikido_zen/helpers/get_ip_from_request_test.py
@@ -48,50 +48,67 @@ def test_x_forwarded_for_without_trust_proxy_ipv6(monkeypatch):
     )
 
 
-def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_invalid_ip():
+def test_x_forwarded_for_default_does_not_trust_proxy(monkeypatch):
+    # Test case: Default behavior (no AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY set) should not trust proxy headers
+    # This is the secure default to prevent IP spoofing
+    monkeypatch.delenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", raising=False)
+    headers = Headers()
+    headers.store_header("x-forwarded-for", "9.9.9.9")
+    # Should return the actual remote address, not the forwarded header
+    assert get_ip_from_request("1.2.3.4", headers) == "1.2.3.4"
+
+
+def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_invalid_ip(monkeypatch):
     # Test case 4: x-forwarded-for with trust proxy and invalid IP
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", "true")
     headers = Headers()
     headers.store_header("x-forwarded-for", "invalid")
     assert get_ip_from_request("1.2.3.4", headers) == "1.2.3.4"
 
 
-def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_ip_with_port():
+def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_ip_with_port(monkeypatch):
     # Test case 5: x-forwarded-for with trust proxy and IP contains port
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", "true")
     headers = Headers()
     headers.store_header("x-forwarded-for", "9.9.9.9:8080")
     assert get_ip_from_request("1.2.3.4", headers) == "9.9.9.9"
 
 
-def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_and_trailing_comma():
+def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_and_trailing_comma(monkeypatch):
     # Test case 6: x-forwarded-for with trailing comma
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", "true")
     headers = Headers()
     headers.store_header("x-forwarded-for", "9.9.9.9,")
     assert get_ip_from_request("1.2.3.4", headers) == "9.9.9.9"
 
 
-def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_and_leading_comma():
+def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_and_leading_comma(monkeypatch):
     # Test case 6: x-forwarded-for with trailing comma
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", "true")
     headers = Headers()
     headers.store_header("x-forwarded-for", ",9.9.9.9,,")
     assert get_ip_from_request("1.2.3.4", headers) == "9.9.9.9"
 
 
-def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_public_ip():
+def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_public_ip(monkeypatch):
     # Test case 9: x-forwarded-for with trust proxy and public IP
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", "true")
     headers = Headers()
     headers.store_header("x-forwarded-for", "9.9.9.9")
     assert get_ip_from_request("1.2.3.4", headers) == "9.9.9.9"
 
 
-def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_multiple_ips():
+def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_multiple_ips(monkeypatch):
     # Test case 10: x-forwarded-for with trust proxy and multiple IPs
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", "true")
     headers = Headers()
     headers.store_header("x-forwarded-for", "9.9.9.9, 8.8.8.8, 7.7.7.7")
     assert get_ip_from_request("1.2.3.4", headers) == "9.9.9.9"
 
 
-def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_multiple_ips_ipv6():
+def test_x_forwarded_for_with_trust_proxy_multiple_ips_ipv6(monkeypatch):
     # Test case 10: x-forwarded-for with trust proxy and multiple IPs
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", "true")
     headers = Headers()
     headers.store_header(
         "x-forwarded-for",
diff --git a/aikido_zen/vulnerabilities/ssrf/is_request_to_itself_test.py b/aikido_zen/vulnerabilities/ssrf/is_request_to_itself_test.py
index 5049c2a79..85f7140be 100644
--- a/aikido_zen/vulnerabilities/ssrf/is_request_to_itself_test.py
+++ b/aikido_zen/vulnerabilities/ssrf/is_request_to_itself_test.py
@@ -30,14 +30,18 @@ def test_returns_false_if_hostname_is_different():
     assert not is_request_to_itself("https://aikido.dev:4000", "google.com", 443)
 
 
-def test_returns_true_if_server_does_request_to_itself():
+def test_returns_true_if_server_does_request_to_itself(monkeypatch):
+    # Need to explicitly trust proxy for this check to work
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", "true")
     assert is_request_to_itself("https://aikido.dev", "aikido.dev", 443)
     assert is_request_to_itself("http://aikido.dev:4000", "aikido.dev", 4000)
     assert is_request_to_itself("http://aikido.dev", "aikido.dev", 80)
     assert is_request_to_itself("https://aikido.dev:4000", "aikido.dev", 4000)
 
 
-def test_returns_true_for_special_case_http_to_https():
+def test_returns_true_for_special_case_http_to_https(monkeypatch):
+    # Need to explicitly trust proxy for this check to work
+    monkeypatch.setenv("AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY", "true")
     assert is_request_to_itself("http://aikido.dev", "aikido.dev", 443)
     assert is_request_to_itself("https://aikido.dev", "aikido.dev", 80)
 
@@ -48,6 +52,12 @@ def test_returns_false_if_trust_proxy_is_false(monkeypatch):
     assert not is_request_to_itself("http://aikido.dev", "aikido.dev", 80)
 
 
+def test_returns_false_if_trust_proxy_is_default():
+    # With the new secure default, trust_proxy is false by default
+    assert not is_request_to_itself("https://aikido.dev", "aikido.dev", 443)
+    assert not is_request_to_itself("http://aikido.dev", "aikido.dev", 80)
+
+
 def test_returns_false_if_server_url_is_null():
     assert not is_request_to_itself(None, "aikido.dev", 80)
     assert not is_request_to_itself(None, "aikido.dev", 443)
diff --git a/sample-apps/common.mk b/sample-apps/common.mk
index 06322f92b..5466f15f1 100644
--- a/sample-apps/common.mk
+++ b/sample-apps/common.mk
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ AIKIDO_ENV_COMMON = \
 	AIKIDO_TOKEN="AIK_secret_token" \
 	AIKIDO_REALTIME_ENDPOINT="http://localhost:5000/" \
 	AIKIDO_ENDPOINT="http://localhost:5000/" \
-	AIKIDO_DISABLE=0
+	AIKIDO_DISABLE=0 \
+	AIKIDO_TRUST_PROXY=true
 
 AIKIDO_ENV_BENCHMARK = \
 	AIKIDO_DEBUG=false \