diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 200e3f2..5139164 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -248,30 +248,43 @@ jobs:
         run: docker build ./python-service -t vaccichain-python:ci
 
       - name: Run Trivy scan on backend
-        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@master
+        id: scan-backend
+        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@v1
         with:
           image-ref: vaccichain-backend:ci
           format: sarif
           output: backend-trivy.sarif
           severity: HIGH,CRITICAL
+          ignorefile: .trivyignore
+          exit-code: 1
+        continue-on-error: true
 
       - name: Run Trivy scan on frontend
-        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@master
+        id: scan-frontend
+        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@v1
         with:
           image-ref: vaccichain-frontend:ci
           format: sarif
           output: frontend-trivy.sarif
           severity: HIGH,CRITICAL
+          ignorefile: .trivyignore
+          exit-code: 1
+        continue-on-error: true
 
       - name: Run Trivy scan on python-service
-        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@master
+        id: scan-python
+        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@v1
         with:
           image-ref: vaccichain-python:ci
           format: sarif
           output: python-trivy.sarif
           severity: HIGH,CRITICAL
+          ignorefile: .trivyignore
+          exit-code: 1
+        continue-on-error: true
 
       - name: Upload Trivy results to GitHub Security
+        if: always()
         uses: github/codeql-action/upload-sarif@v3
         with:
           sarif_file: |
@@ -280,6 +293,7 @@ jobs:
             python-trivy.sarif
 
       - name: Upload scan artifacts
+        if: always()
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: trivy-scan-results
@@ -289,6 +303,14 @@ jobs:
             python-trivy.sarif
           retention-days: 30
 
+      - name: Fail on HIGH/CRITICAL vulnerabilities
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          if [[ "${{ steps.scan-backend.outcome }}" == "failure" || "${{ steps.scan-frontend.outcome }}" == "failure" || "${{ steps.scan-python.outcome }}" == "failure" ]]; then
+            echo "One or more container images contain HIGH or CRITICAL vulnerabilities."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
   container-scan-scheduled:
     name: Weekly container vulnerability scan
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -306,27 +328,43 @@ jobs:
         run: docker build ./python-service -t vaccichain-python:prod
 
       - name: Run Trivy scan on backend
-        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@master
+        id: scan-scheduled-backend
+        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@v1
         with:
           image-ref: vaccichain-backend:prod
           format: table
           output: backend-scan.txt
+          ignorefile: .trivyignore
+          severity: HIGH,CRITICAL
+          exit-code: 1
+        continue-on-error: true
 
       - name: Run Trivy scan on frontend
-        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@master
+        id: scan-scheduled-frontend
+        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@v1
         with:
           image-ref: vaccichain-frontend:prod
           format: table
           output: frontend-scan.txt
+          ignorefile: .trivyignore
+          severity: HIGH,CRITICAL
+          exit-code: 1
+        continue-on-error: true
 
       - name: Run Trivy scan on python-service
-        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@master
+        id: scan-scheduled-python
+        uses: aquasecurity/trivy-action@v1
         with:
           image-ref: vaccichain-python:prod
           format: table
           output: python-scan.txt
+          ignorefile: .trivyignore
+          severity: HIGH,CRITICAL
+          exit-code: 1
+        continue-on-error: true
 
       - name: Upload scan results
+        if: always()
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: weekly-trivy-scans
@@ -335,3 +373,11 @@ jobs:
             frontend-scan.txt
             python-scan.txt
           retention-days: 90
+
+      - name: Fail on HIGH/CRITICAL vulnerabilities
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          if [[ "${{ steps.scan-scheduled-backend.outcome }}" == "failure" || "${{ steps.scan-scheduled-frontend.outcome }}" == "failure" || "${{ steps.scan-scheduled-python.outcome }}" == "failure" ]]; then
+            echo "One or more scheduled container images contain HIGH or CRITICAL vulnerabilities."
+            exit 1
+          fi
diff --git a/.trivyignore b/.trivyignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4feb293
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.trivyignore
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Trivy ignore file for VacciChain Docker image scans.
+# Add any CVEs here that are confirmed false positives or not applicable.
+# Example:
+# CVE-2024-12345
+
+# Use a comment line for notes:
+# - The following entries were assessed and accepted as non-actionable for this repo.
+
+# TODO: add suppressions only after review.