diff --git a/decnet/intel/worker.py b/decnet/intel/worker.py
index 2e3beefb..bb975bc9 100644
--- a/decnet/intel/worker.py
+++ b/decnet/intel/worker.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import asyncio
 import contextlib
+import json
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 from typing import Any, Optional
 
@@ -59,6 +60,63 @@ def _aggregate(verdicts: list[Optional[str]]) -> Optional[str]:
     return None
 
 
+def _decode_json_list(value: Any) -> list[Any]:
+    if isinstance(value, list):
+        return value
+    if isinstance(value, str) and value:
+        try:
+            decoded = json.loads(value)
+        except (json.JSONDecodeError, TypeError):
+            return []
+        return decoded if isinstance(decoded, list) else []
+    return []
+
+
+def _build_intel_event_payload(
+    attacker_uuid: str,
+    ip: str,
+    row: dict[str, Any],
+    providers: list[IntelProvider],
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Project the AttackerIntel row into the bus event the TTP worker
+    consumes as ``source_kind="intel"``.
+
+    The TTP worker forwards the payload verbatim to the IntelLifter.
+    Per-provider taxonomy fields (categories, tags, threat_types) are
+    decoded back to native lists here so the lifter does not have to
+    care that the storage layer JSON-encodes them.
+    """
+    return {
+        "attacker_uuid": attacker_uuid,
+        "attacker_ip": ip,
+        "aggregate_verdict": row.get("aggregate_verdict"),
+        "providers": [p.name for p in providers],
+        # AbuseIPDB
+        "abuseipdb_score": row.get("abuseipdb_score"),
+        "abuseipdb_categories": _decode_json_list(
+            row.get("abuseipdb_categories"),
+        ),
+        # GreyNoise
+        "greynoise_classification": row.get("greynoise_classification"),
+        "greynoise_name": row.get("greynoise_name"),
+        "greynoise_tags": _decode_json_list(row.get("greynoise_tags")),
+        # Feodo
+        "feodo_listed": row.get("feodo_listed"),
+        "feodo_malware_family": row.get("feodo_malware_family"),
+        # ThreatFox
+        "threatfox_listed": row.get("threatfox_listed"),
+        "threatfox_threat_types": _decode_json_list(
+            row.get("threatfox_threat_types"),
+        ),
+        "threatfox_ioc_types": _decode_json_list(
+            row.get("threatfox_ioc_types"),
+        ),
+        "threatfox_malware_families": _decode_json_list(
+            row.get("threatfox_malware_families"),
+        ),
+    }
+
+
 async def _enrich_one(
     attacker_uuid: str,
     ip: str,
@@ -172,12 +230,9 @@ async def run_intel_loop(
                         await publish_safely(
                             bus,
                             _topics.attacker(_topics.ATTACKER_INTEL_ENRICHED),
-                            {
-                                "attacker_uuid": attacker_uuid,
-                                "attacker_ip": ip,
-                                "aggregate_verdict": row.get("aggregate_verdict"),
-                                "providers": [p.name for p in providers],
-                            },
+                            _build_intel_event_payload(
+                                attacker_uuid, ip, row, providers,
+                            ),
                             event_type=_topics.ATTACKER_INTEL_ENRICHED,
                         )
                     except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001
diff --git a/tests/intel/test_worker_publish.py b/tests/intel/test_worker_publish.py
index d93ec468..2b7e6037 100644
--- a/tests/intel/test_worker_publish.py
+++ b/tests/intel/test_worker_publish.py
@@ -95,3 +95,49 @@ async def test_intel_worker_publishes_intel_enriched(
     assert payload["attacker_ip"] == "192.168.1.5"
     assert payload["aggregate_verdict"] == "malicious"
     assert "fake" in payload["providers"]
+
+
+def test_build_intel_event_payload_projects_taxonomy_fields() -> None:
+    """Post-2026-05-02 audit: the bus payload now carries the per-
+    provider taxonomy fields the IntelLifter needs (categories, tags,
+    threat_types). JSON-string columns are decoded back to native
+    lists so the consumer does not have to know about storage shape.
+    """
+    import json as _json
+
+    row = {
+        "aggregate_verdict": "malicious",
+        "abuseipdb_score": 87,
+        "abuseipdb_categories": _json.dumps([14, 18, 22]),
+        "greynoise_classification": "malicious",
+        "greynoise_name": "Mirai",
+        "greynoise_tags": _json.dumps(["ssh_bruteforcer"]),
+        "feodo_listed": True,
+        "feodo_malware_family": "Emotet",
+        "threatfox_listed": True,
+        "threatfox_threat_types": _json.dumps(["botnet_cc"]),
+        "threatfox_ioc_types": _json.dumps(["ip:port"]),
+        "threatfox_malware_families": _json.dumps(["Sliver"]),
+    }
+    payload = _iw._build_intel_event_payload(
+        "att-2", "203.0.113.7", row, [_FakeProvider()],
+    )
+    assert payload["abuseipdb_categories"] == [14, 18, 22]
+    assert payload["greynoise_tags"] == ["ssh_bruteforcer"]
+    assert payload["greynoise_name"] == "Mirai"
+    assert payload["feodo_malware_family"] == "Emotet"
+    assert payload["threatfox_threat_types"] == ["botnet_cc"]
+    assert payload["threatfox_ioc_types"] == ["ip:port"]
+    assert payload["threatfox_malware_families"] == ["Sliver"]
+
+
+def test_build_intel_event_payload_tolerates_absent_columns() -> None:
+    """A pre-enrichment row should produce a payload with empty lists
+    rather than raising — the IntelLifter contract is to absorb
+    absence silently."""
+    payload = _iw._build_intel_event_payload(
+        "att-3", "10.0.0.1", {}, [],
+    )
+    assert payload["abuseipdb_categories"] == []
+    assert payload["greynoise_tags"] == []
+    assert payload["threatfox_threat_types"] == []