diff --git a/.github/scripts/verify_sanitized_artifacts.py b/.github/scripts/verify_sanitized_artifacts.py
index be177b5e5..cd2959b1f 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/verify_sanitized_artifacts.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/verify_sanitized_artifacts.py
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ ALLOWED_ATTRIBUTES_BY_TAG = {
     "skipped": frozenset({"message", "type"}),
 }
 
+SAFE_SKIPPED_STATUSES = frozenset({"skipped", "todo", "ignored", "disabled", "pending", "omitted", "test skipped"})
+
 SENSITIVE_KEY_PATTERN = re.compile(
     r"(?i)(password|passwd|secret|token|api_key|apikey|access_token|refresh_token|"
     r"private_key|auth_token|client_secret|session|session_id|sid|csrf|xsrf|jwt|credential|authorization)"
@@ -186,6 +188,15 @@ def prune_and_sanitize_junit_element(elem: ET.Element) -> bool:
         if attr_lower not in allowed_attrs:
             del elem.attrib[attr_name]
             modified = True
+        elif tag_lower == "skipped":
+            val = elem.attrib[attr_name].strip()
+            if val.lower() in SAFE_SKIPPED_STATUSES:
+                if elem.attrib[attr_name] != val.lower():
+                    elem.attrib[attr_name] = val.lower()
+                    modified = True
+            else:
+                elem.attrib[attr_name] = "skipped"
+                modified = True
         else:
             val = elem.attrib[attr_name]
             if isinstance(val, str):
@@ -194,9 +205,9 @@ def prune_and_sanitize_junit_element(elem: ET.Element) -> bool:
                     elem.attrib[attr_name] = new_val
                     modified = True
 
-    # 3. Handle text content: structural elements do not carry free-form text
-    if tag_lower in ("testsuites", "testsuite", "testcase"):
-        if elem.text and elem.text.strip():
+    # 3. Handle text content: structural and skipped elements do not carry free-form text
+    if tag_lower in ("testsuites", "testsuite", "testcase", "skipped"):
+        if elem.text:
             elem.text = None
             modified = True
     elif tag_lower in ("failure", "error"):
@@ -206,11 +217,11 @@ def prune_and_sanitize_junit_element(elem: ET.Element) -> bool:
                 elem.text = new_text
                 modified = True
 
-    # Clean up tails
+    # 4. Clean up tails: strip any non-whitespace characters from tails to prevent leaks
     if elem.tail and elem.tail.strip():
-        new_tail, changed = sanitize_text_content(elem.tail)
-        if changed:
-            elem.tail = new_tail
+        cleaned_tail = re.sub(r"\S+", "", elem.tail)
+        if cleaned_tail != elem.tail:
+            elem.tail = cleaned_tail
             modified = True
 
     return modified
diff --git a/tests/test_verify_sanitized_artifacts.py b/tests/test_verify_sanitized_artifacts.py
index 488873437..17dfb0098 100644
--- a/tests/test_verify_sanitized_artifacts.py
+++ b/tests/test_verify_sanitized_artifacts.py
@@ -250,6 +250,50 @@ def test_standard_node_and_playwright_reports_remain_valid_and_retain_identities
     assert "session_token" not in pw_text
 
 
+def test_skipped_element_content_tail_and_attributes_leak_prevented(tmp_path):
+    """Regression: <skipped>PRIVATE_VALUE_123</skipped>, attributes, and tails cannot leak sensitive values."""
+    results_dir = tmp_path / "test-results"
+    results_dir.mkdir()
+    junit = results_dir / "browser-junit.xml"
+    xml_with_skipped = """<testsuites>
+  <testsuite name="sample" tests="1" skipped="1">
+    <testcase name="skipped-case" classname="sample">
+      <skipped message="PRIVATE_VALUE_123" type="UNOFFICIAL_SECRET_456">PRIVATE_VALUE_123</skipped>PRIVATE_VALUE_123
+    </testcase>
+  </testsuite>
+</testsuites>"""
+    junit.write_text(xml_with_skipped)
+
+    ok = verify_and_sanitize_artifacts(str(results_dir))
+    assert ok is True
+    assert junit.exists()
+
+    sanitized_xml = junit.read_text()
+    # Synthetic sensitive values that do not match secret regexes must be absent
+    assert "PRIVATE_VALUE_123" not in sanitized_xml
+    assert "UNOFFICIAL_SECRET_456" not in sanitized_xml
+
+    # The output must remain valid JUnit XML
+    tree = ET.parse(junit)
+    root = tree.getroot()
+    assert root.tag == "testsuites"
+    cases = list(root.iter("testcase"))
+    assert len(cases) == 1
+
+    # Testcase identity remains intact
+    testcase = cases[0]
+    assert testcase.get("name") == "skipped-case"
+    assert testcase.get("classname") == "sample"
+
+    # Skipped element remains present and classified as skipped
+    skipped_elems = list(testcase.iter("skipped"))
+    assert len(skipped_elems) == 1
+    skipped_elem = skipped_elems[0]
+    assert skipped_elem.text is None or not skipped_elem.text.strip()
+    assert skipped_elem.get("message") == "skipped"
+    assert skipped_elem.get("type") == "skipped"
+
+
 def test_unrecognized_xml_purged(tmp_path):
     """Negative control: XML reports that are not recognized JUnit reports are purged."""
     results_dir = tmp_path / "test-results"