diff --git a/salt/orch/delete_hypervisor.sls b/salt/orch/delete_hypervisor.sls
index 3f0bd02b6..784977e28 100644
--- a/salt/orch/delete_hypervisor.sls
+++ b/salt/orch/delete_hypervisor.sls
@@ -3,7 +3,14 @@
 # https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
 # Elastic License 2.0.
 
-{% set hypervisor = pillar.minion_id %}
+{% set hypervisor = pillar.get('minion_id', '') %}
+
+{% if not hypervisor|regex_match('^[A-Za-z0-9._-]{1,253}$') %}
+{%   do salt.log.error('delete_hypervisor_orch: refusing unsafe minion_id=' ~ hypervisor) %}
+delete_hypervisor_invalid_minion_id:
+  test.fail_without_changes:
+    - name: delete_hypervisor_invalid_minion_id
+{% else %}
 
 ensure_hypervisor_mine_deleted:
   salt.function:
@@ -20,3 +27,5 @@ update_salt_cloud_profile:
     - sls:
       - salt.cloud.config
     - concurrent: True
+
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/salt/orch/vm_pillar_clean.sls b/salt/orch/vm_pillar_clean.sls
index ca5c16054..9b6bf1ee5 100644
--- a/salt/orch/vm_pillar_clean.sls
+++ b/salt/orch/vm_pillar_clean.sls
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@
 {% if 'vrt' in salt['pillar.get']('features', []) %}
 
 {%   do salt.log.debug('vm_pillar_clean_orch: Running') %}
-{%   set vm_name = pillar.get('vm_name') %}
+{%   set vm_name = pillar.get('vm_name', '') %}
+
+{%   if not vm_name|regex_match('^[A-Za-z0-9._-]{1,253}$') %}
+{%     do salt.log.error('vm_pillar_clean_orch: refusing unsafe vm_name=' ~ vm_name) %}
+vm_pillar_clean_invalid_name:
+  test.fail_without_changes:
+    - name: vm_pillar_clean_invalid_name
+{%   else %}
 
 delete_adv_{{ vm_name }}_pillar:
   module.run:
@@ -24,6 +31,8 @@ delete_{{ vm_name }}_pillar:
     - file.remove:
       - path: /opt/so/saltstack/local/pillar/minions/{{ vm_name }}.sls
 
+{%   endif %}
+
 {% else %}
 
 {%   do salt.log.error(
diff --git a/salt/reactor/check_hypervisor.sls b/salt/reactor/check_hypervisor.sls
index 91b7c0c02..c0fa49ddc 100644
--- a/salt/reactor/check_hypervisor.sls
+++ b/salt/reactor/check_hypervisor.sls
@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@
 # https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
 # Elastic License 2.0.
 
-{% if data['id'].endswith('_hypervisor') and data['result'] == True %}
+{% set hid = data['id'] %}
+{% if hid|regex_match('^[A-Za-z0-9._-]{1,253}$')
+   and hid.endswith('_hypervisor')
+   and data['result'] == True %}
 
 {%   if data['act'] == 'accept' %}
 check_and_trigger:
   runner.setup_hypervisor.setup_environment:
-    - minion_id: {{ data['id'] }}
+    - minion_id: {{ hid }}
 {%   endif %}
 
 {%   if data['act'] == 'delete' %}
@@ -17,8 +20,7 @@ delete_hypervisor:
     - args:
       - mods: orch.delete_hypervisor
       - pillar:
-          minion_id: {{ data['id'] }}
+          minion_id: {{ hid }}
 {%   endif %}
 
 {% endif %}
-
diff --git a/salt/reactor/createEmptyPillar.sls b/salt/reactor/createEmptyPillar.sls
index c6c655bab..2076b53bd 100644
--- a/salt/reactor/createEmptyPillar.sls
+++ b/salt/reactor/createEmptyPillar.sls
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!py
 
 # Copyright Security Onion Solutions LLC and/or licensed to Security Onion Solutions LLC under one
-# or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0 as shown at 
+# or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0 as shown at
 # https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
 # Elastic License 2.0.
 
@@ -9,30 +9,42 @@ import logging
 import os
 import pwd
 import grp
+import re
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+PILLAR_ROOT = '/opt/so/saltstack/local/pillar/minions/'
+_VMNAME_RE = re.compile(r'^[A-Za-z0-9._-]{1,253}$')
+
 
 def run():
-  vm_name = data['kwargs']['name']
-  logging.error("createEmptyPillar reactor: vm_name: %s" % vm_name)
-  pillar_root = '/opt/so/saltstack/local/pillar/minions/'
+  vm_name = data.get('kwargs', {}).get('name', '')
+  if not _VMNAME_RE.match(str(vm_name)):
+    log.error("createEmptyPillar reactor: refusing unsafe vm_name=%r", vm_name)
+    return {}
+
+  log.info("createEmptyPillar reactor: vm_name: %s", vm_name)
   pillar_files = ['adv_' + vm_name + '.sls', vm_name + '.sls']
 
   try:
-    # Get socore user and group IDs
     socore_uid = pwd.getpwnam('socore').pw_uid
     socore_gid = grp.getgrnam('socore').gr_gid
+    pillar_root_real = os.path.realpath(PILLAR_ROOT)
 
     for f in pillar_files:
-      full_path = pillar_root + f
-      if not os.path.exists(full_path):
-        # Create empty file
-        os.mknod(full_path)
-        # Set ownership to socore:socore
-        os.chown(full_path, socore_uid, socore_gid)
-        # Set mode to 644 (rw-r--r--)
-        os.chmod(full_path, 0o640)
-        logging.error("createEmptyPillar reactor: created %s with socore:socore ownership and mode 644" % f)
+      full_path = os.path.join(PILLAR_ROOT, f)
+      resolved = os.path.realpath(full_path)
+      if os.path.dirname(resolved) != pillar_root_real:
+        log.error("createEmptyPillar reactor: refusing path outside pillar root: %s", resolved)
+        continue
+      if os.path.exists(resolved):
+        continue
+      os.mknod(resolved)
+      os.chown(resolved, socore_uid, socore_gid)
+      os.chmod(resolved, 0o640)
+      log.info("createEmptyPillar reactor: created %s with socore:socore ownership and mode 0640", f)
 
   except (KeyError, OSError) as e:
-    logging.error("createEmptyPillar reactor: Error setting ownership/permissions: %s" % str(e))
+    log.error("createEmptyPillar reactor: Error setting ownership/permissions: %s", e)
 
   return {}
diff --git a/salt/reactor/deleteKey.sls b/salt/reactor/deleteKey.sls
index 4d522a4b5..a57d6370c 100644
--- a/salt/reactor/deleteKey.sls
+++ b/salt/reactor/deleteKey.sls
@@ -1,18 +1,40 @@
+#!py
+
 # Copyright Security Onion Solutions LLC and/or licensed to Security Onion Solutions LLC under one
 # or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0 as shown at
 # https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
 # Elastic License 2.0.
 
-remove_key:
-  wheel.key.delete:
-    - args:
-      - match: {{ data['name'] }}
+import logging
+import re
 
-{{ data['name'] }}_pillar_clean:
-  runner.state.orchestrate:
-    - args:
-      - mods: orch.vm_pillar_clean
-      - pillar:
-          vm_name: {{ data['name'] }}
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-{% do salt.log.info('deleteKey reactor: deleted minion key: %s' % data['name']) %}
+_VMNAME_RE = re.compile(r'^[A-Za-z0-9._-]{1,253}$')
+
+
+def run():
+  name = data.get('name', '')
+  if not _VMNAME_RE.match(str(name)):
+    log.error("deleteKey reactor: refusing unsafe name=%r", name)
+    return {}
+
+  log.info("deleteKey reactor: deleted minion key: %s", name)
+
+  return {
+    'remove_key': {
+      'wheel.key.delete': [
+        {'args': [
+          {'match': name},
+        ]},
+      ],
+    },
+    '%s_pillar_clean' % name: {
+      'runner.state.orchestrate': [
+        {'args': [
+          {'mods': 'orch.vm_pillar_clean'},
+          {'pillar': {'vm_name': name}},
+        ]},
+      ],
+    },
+  }