diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 19b5b08..1214e8b 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -15,6 +15,3 @@ JWT_ACCESS_SECRET=change-me-access
 JWT_REFRESH_SECRET=change-me-refresh
 JWT_ACCESS_EXPIRES_IN=15m
 JWT_REFRESH_EXPIRES_IN=30d
-
-# Center <-> Guild handshake
-CENTER_SHARED_SECRET=change-me-center-secret
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index a4456db..7776e11 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ function validateEnv(): void {
   requireEnv('DB_USER');
   requireEnv('DB_PASSWORD');
   requireEnv('DB_NAME');
-  requireEnv('CENTER_SHARED_SECRET');
   requireEnv('JWT_ACCESS_SECRET');
   requireEnv('JWT_REFRESH_SECRET');
 }
diff --git a/src/nodes/nodes.controller.ts b/src/nodes/nodes.controller.ts
index 3f73188..7716fca 100644
--- a/src/nodes/nodes.controller.ts
+++ b/src/nodes/nodes.controller.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   Patch,
   Post,
   Query,
+  Req,
 } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { InjectRepository } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
 import { Repository } from 'typeorm';
@@ -22,12 +23,6 @@ import { GuildNode } from '../entities/guild-node.entity';
 import { AuditService } from '../audit/audit.service';
 import { RegisterNodeDto } from './dto.register-node.dto';
 import { UpdateNodeStatusDto } from './dto.update-node-status.dto';
-import {
-  buildCanonical,
-  safeEqualHex,
-  signCanonical,
-  verifyRequestTime,
-} from '../common/hmac';
 import { FABRIC_PROTOCOL_VERSION, normalizeVersion } from '../common/version';
 
 @Controller('nodes')
@@ -40,12 +35,19 @@ export class NodesController {
 
   @Post('register')
   async register(
+    @Req() req: { ip?: string; socket?: { remoteAddress?: string } },
     @Body() body: RegisterNodeDto,
-    @Headers('x-fabric-signature') signature?: string,
-    @Headers('x-fabric-timestamp') timestamp?: string,
-    @Headers('x-fabric-nonce') nonce?: string,
     @Headers('x-fabric-version') fabricVersion?: string,
   ) {
+    const remoteAddress = (req.ip ?? req.socket?.remoteAddress ?? '').toLowerCase();
+    const isLoopback =
+      remoteAddress === '127.0.0.1' ||
+      remoteAddress === '::1' ||
+      remoteAddress === '::ffff:127.0.0.1';
+    if (!isLoopback) {
+      throw new ForbiddenException('register endpoint only allows localhost caller');
+    }
+
     const requestedVersion = normalizeVersion(fabricVersion);
     if (requestedVersion !== FABRIC_PROTOCOL_VERSION) {
       throw new HttpException(
@@ -61,23 +63,6 @@ export class NodesController {
       );
     }
 
-    const secret = process.env.CENTER_SHARED_SECRET as string;
-    if (!signature || !timestamp || !nonce || !verifyRequestTime(timestamp)) {
-      throw new ForbiddenException('invalid hmac headers');
-    }
-
-    const canonical = buildCanonical({
-      method: 'POST',
-      path: '/api/nodes/register',
-      timestamp,
-      nonce,
-      body: JSON.stringify(body),
-    });
-    const expected = signCanonical(secret, canonical);
-    if (!safeEqualHex(signature, expected)) {
-      throw new ForbiddenException('invalid shared secret');
-    }
-
     const existedByNodeId = await this.nodeRepo.findOne({
       where: { nodeId: body.nodeId },
     });