From 4a329372d9257c59929624e8d05d67124d3b84a3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Jonathan D.A. Jewell" <6759885+hyperpolymath@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2026 02:17:55 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 1/4] fix(governance): split credentialed live policy audit

---
 .../allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml          | 40 ++++++++++++++--
 .github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml     | 46 ++++++++++++++++---
 2 files changed, 76 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml b/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml
index e33c099e..b722ec0c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ permissions:
 
 jobs:
   preflight:
-    name: Actions policy (tree + live)
+    name: Actions policy (tree)
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 5
     steps:
@@ -56,9 +56,41 @@ jobs:
           bash "$RUNNER_TEMP/check-allowed-actions.sh" \
             "$RUNNER_TEMP/allowed-actions.json" .github/workflows
 
+  live-policy:
+    name: Live Actions policy (credentialed advisory)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout policy source
+        uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          repository: hyperpolymath/standards
+          ref: main
+          sparse-checkout: |
+            rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist
+            scripts/check-actions-policy.sh
+          sparse-checkout-cone-mode: false
+
+      - name: Report unavailable live policy credential
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT }}
+        if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN == '' }}
+        run: |
+          echo "::notice::Live Actions policy was not evaluated: HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT was not supplied by the caller. The separate tree allowlist gate still ran."
+          # shellcheck disable=SC2016
+          printf '%s\n' \
+            '### Live Actions policy not evaluated' \
+            '' \
+            'The caller did not supply `HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT`. This advisory job' \
+            'does not claim that the repository Administration setting passed.' \
+            'The independent tree allowlist preflight remains enforced.' \
+            >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+
       - name: Check live repository policy
         env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT || github.token }}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT }}
+        if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN != '' }}
         run: |
-          bash "$RUNNER_TEMP/check-actions-policy.sh" \
-            "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" "$RUNNER_TEMP/allowed-actions.json"
+          bash scripts/check-actions-policy.sh \
+            "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
+            rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist/allowed-actions.json
diff --git a/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml b/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
index 5a8a1929..22d32364 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
@@ -103,17 +103,51 @@ jobs:
           fi
           bash "$RUNNER_TEMP/check-allowed-actions.sh" \
             "$RUNNER_TEMP/allowed-actions.json" .github/workflows
+          rm -rf .standards-checkout
+
+  actions-policy-live:
+    name: Live Actions policy (credentialed advisory)
+    runs-on: ${{ inputs.runs-on }}
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout standards for the live policy gate
+        uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          repository: hyperpolymath/standards
+          ref: main
+          sparse-checkout: |
+            rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist
+            scripts/check-actions-policy.sh
+          sparse-checkout-cone-mode: false
+
+      - name: Report unavailable live policy credential
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT }}
+        if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN == '' }}
+        run: |
+          echo "::notice::Live Actions policy was not evaluated: HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT was not supplied by the caller. The separate tree allowlist gate still ran."
+          # shellcheck disable=SC2016
+          printf '%s\n' \
+            '### Live Actions policy not evaluated' \
+            '' \
+            'The caller did not supply `HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT`. This advisory job' \
+            'does not claim that the repository Administration setting passed.' \
+            'The independent tree allowlist preflight remains enforced.' \
+            >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
 
       - name: Check live Actions policy
         env:
-          # GitHub's job token cannot read this Administration endpoint. Keep
-          # this dependency explicit: missing/expired credentials must make the
-          # live control red rather than silently reducing it to a tree check.
+          # The ordinary job token cannot read the repository Administration
+          # endpoint. When a caller deliberately supplies this credential, an
+          # API/authentication failure or real policy violation remains red.
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT }}
+        if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN != '' }}
         run: |
-          rm -rf .standards-checkout
-          bash "$RUNNER_TEMP/check-actions-policy.sh" \
-            "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" "$RUNNER_TEMP/allowed-actions.json"
+          bash scripts/check-actions-policy.sh \
+            "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
+            rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist/allowed-actions.json
 
   validate-hypatia-baseline:
     name: Validate Hypatia Baseline

From 26112958664f295cd0ffa28936fc940aa001acda Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Jonathan D.A. Jewell" <6759885+hyperpolymath@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2026 02:38:55 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 2/4] fix(governance): distinguish unavailable live audit

---
 .github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml | 14 ++++++++++++++
 .github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml          | 14 ++++++++++++++
 scripts/check-actions-policy.sh                    |  7 ++++---
 scripts/tests/actions-policy-486-test.sh           |  2 ++
 4 files changed, 34 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml b/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml
index b722ec0c..35c9578c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml
@@ -91,6 +91,20 @@ jobs:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT }}
         if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN != '' }}
         run: |
+          set +e
           bash scripts/check-actions-policy.sh \
             "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
             rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist/allowed-actions.json
+          rc=$?
+          set -e
+          if [ "$rc" -eq 3 ]; then
+            echo "::notice::Live Actions policy was not evaluated: the supplied credential could not read the Administration endpoint."
+            printf '%s\n' \
+              '### Live Actions policy not evaluated' \
+              '' \
+              'A credential was supplied, but the Administration API was unavailable.' \
+              'No live-policy pass is claimed; rotate or re-authorise the credential.' \
+              >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          exit "$rc"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml b/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
index 22d32364..5c095e94 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
@@ -145,9 +145,23 @@ jobs:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.HYPATIA_SCAN_PAT }}
         if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN != '' }}
         run: |
+          set +e
           bash scripts/check-actions-policy.sh \
             "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
             rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist/allowed-actions.json
+          rc=$?
+          set -e
+          if [ "$rc" -eq 3 ]; then
+            echo "::notice::Live Actions policy was not evaluated: the supplied credential could not read the Administration endpoint."
+            printf '%s\n' \
+              '### Live Actions policy not evaluated' \
+              '' \
+              'A credential was supplied, but the Administration API was unavailable.' \
+              'No live-policy pass is claimed; rotate or re-authorise the credential.' \
+              >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          exit "$rc"
 
   validate-hypatia-baseline:
     name: Validate Hypatia Baseline
diff --git a/scripts/check-actions-policy.sh b/scripts/check-actions-policy.sh
index a03a4946..65a8d117 100755
--- a/scripts/check-actions-policy.sh
+++ b/scripts/check-actions-policy.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 # Check the LIVE GitHub Actions policy for a repository (standards#486).
 #
 # Usage: check-actions-policy.sh <owner/repo> [allowed-actions.json]
-# Exit: 0 compliant | 1 policy violation/API failure | 2 setup error
+# Exit: 0 compliant | 1 policy violation | 2 local setup error |
+#       3 live policy unavailable (authentication/API failure)
 set -euo pipefail
 
 REPOSITORY="${1:?usage: check-actions-policy.sh <owner/repo> [allowed-actions.json]}"
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ command -v "$GH_BIN" >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "ERROR: GitHub CLI not found: $GH
 
 permissions="$($GH_BIN api "repos/$REPOSITORY/actions/permissions")" || {
   echo "ERROR: could not read live Actions permissions for $REPOSITORY" >&2
-  exit 1
+  exit 3
 }
 
 enabled="$(jq -r '.enabled // false' <<<"$permissions")"
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ case "$allowed" in
   selected)
     selected="$($GH_BIN api "repos/$REPOSITORY/actions/permissions/selected-actions")" || {
       echo "ERROR: could not read selected Actions policy for $REPOSITORY" >&2
-      exit 1
+      exit 3
     }
     count="$(jq -r '(.patterns_allowed // []) | length' <<<"$selected")"
     [ "$count" -gt 0 ] || {
diff --git a/scripts/tests/actions-policy-486-test.sh b/scripts/tests/actions-policy-486-test.sh
index c4bb25ce..addbfedd 100755
--- a/scripts/tests/actions-policy-486-test.sh
+++ b/scripts/tests/actions-policy-486-test.sh
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ if [[ "$args" == *"/selected-actions "* ]]; then
 fi
 
 case "$scenario" in
+  api-unavailable) exit 4 ;;
   sha-off|setter-reset) printf '%s\n' '{"enabled":true,"allowed_actions":"all","sha_pinning_required":false}' ;;
   selected-empty|selected-missing|selected-ok|setter-selected)
     printf '%s\n' '{"enabled":true,"allowed_actions":"selected","sha_pinning_required":true}' ;;
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ expect() {
 }
 
 expect "all + SHA pinning passes" 0 all-ok "$CHECK" owner/repo "$CANON"
+expect "API/authentication failure is unavailable, not a policy verdict" 3 api-unavailable "$CHECK" owner/repo "$CANON"
 expect "SHA pinning off blocks" 1 sha-off "$CHECK" owner/repo "$CANON"
 expect "disabled Actions blocks" 1 disabled "$CHECK" owner/repo "$CANON"
 expect "empty selected allowlist blocks" 1 selected-empty "$CHECK" owner/repo "$CANON"

From 541214b84dea7f2a94e5a5ca9506c4a0aadcda28 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Jonathan D.A. Jewell" <6759885+hyperpolymath@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2026 02:52:03 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 3/4] fix(governance): test pinned policy source

---
 .../workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml  |  9 +++++----
 .github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml       | 11 +++++++----
 scripts/check-workflow-staleness.sh             | 15 ++++++++++-----
 scripts/tests/check-workflow-staleness-test.sh  | 17 +++++++++++------
 4 files changed, 33 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml b/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml
index 35c9578c..b31e5235 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/allowlist-preflight-reusable.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
         with:
           repository: hyperpolymath/standards
-          ref: main
+          ref: ${{ job.workflow_sha }}
           path: .standards-checkout
           sparse-checkout: |
             rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
         with:
           repository: hyperpolymath/standards
-          ref: main
+          ref: ${{ job.workflow_sha }}
+          path: .standards-checkout
           sparse-checkout: |
             rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist
             scripts/check-actions-policy.sh
@@ -92,9 +93,9 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN != '' }}
         run: |
           set +e
-          bash scripts/check-actions-policy.sh \
+          bash .standards-checkout/scripts/check-actions-policy.sh \
             "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
-            rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist/allowed-actions.json
+            .standards-checkout/rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist/allowed-actions.json
           rc=$?
           set -e
           if [ "$rc" -eq 3 ]; then
diff --git a/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml b/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
index 5c095e94..abd69362 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
         with:
           repository: hyperpolymath/standards
-          ref: main
+          # Exact commit of this reusable workflow. This preserves consumer
+          # pin semantics and lets a standards PR test its own scripts.
+          ref: ${{ job.workflow_sha }}
           path: .standards-checkout
           sparse-checkout: |
             rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist
@@ -116,7 +118,8 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
         with:
           repository: hyperpolymath/standards
-          ref: main
+          ref: ${{ job.workflow_sha }}
+          path: .standards-checkout
           sparse-checkout: |
             rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist
             scripts/check-actions-policy.sh
@@ -146,9 +149,9 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ env.GH_TOKEN != '' }}
         run: |
           set +e
-          bash scripts/check-actions-policy.sh \
+          bash .standards-checkout/scripts/check-actions-policy.sh \
             "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
-            rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist/allowed-actions.json
+            .standards-checkout/rhodium-standard-repositories/actions-allowlist/allowed-actions.json
           rc=$?
           set -e
           if [ "$rc" -eq 3 ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/check-workflow-staleness.sh b/scripts/check-workflow-staleness.sh
index 51faa3ea..e46ebbb1 100755
--- a/scripts/check-workflow-staleness.sh
+++ b/scripts/check-workflow-staleness.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ set -eo pipefail
 #     calendar. The pre-cache-fix Hypatia scanner (#441) is the first entry.
 #   * FORGED — the pin is not a commit of this repository reachable from the
 #     default branch, confirmed server-side (supply-chain integrity).
-#   * the two structural rules (retired scorecard-enforcer; Scorecard SARIF).
+#   * the two structural rules (retired scorecard-enforcer; direct consumer
+#     Scorecard SARIF publication outside the canonical reusable).
 # Age outside the window is reported as a ::notice for the propagation path to
 # act on.
 #
@@ -454,9 +455,13 @@ fi
 for wf in "$REPO_ROOT"/.github/workflows/*.yml "$REPO_ROOT"/.github/workflows/*.yaml; do
   [ -f "$wf" ] || continue
 
-  # Rule: no_scorecard_sarif_code_scanning (structural — independent of pins)
-  if grep -q "ossf/scorecard-action@" "$wf" && grep -q "github/codeql-action/upload-sarif@" "$wf"; then
-    echo "::error file=$wf::OSSF Scorecard must not upload SARIF to GitHub Code Scanning unless it runs for every PR head commit."
+  # Rule: no direct consumer-owned Scorecard SARIF publisher. The canonical
+  # reusable in standards owns publication so alert delivery and policy can be
+  # repaired once rather than drifting across the estate.
+  if [ "$IS_STANDARDS" = "false" ] && \
+     grep -q "ossf/scorecard-action@" "$wf" && \
+     grep -q "github/codeql-action/upload-sarif@" "$wf"; then
+    echo "::error file=$wf::Direct Scorecard SARIF publication is retired. Call standards/scorecard-reusable.yml so publication policy remains centrally controlled."
     FAILED=1
   fi
 
@@ -473,7 +478,7 @@ for wf in "$REPO_ROOT"/.github/workflows/*.yml "$REPO_ROOT"/.github/workflows/*.
 done
 
 if [ $FAILED -ne 0 ]; then
-  echo "::error::Staleness gate failed. Each error above names a specific defect: a pin predating a known false-green fix (refresh it — waiting will not help), a pin that is not a published standards commit, a retired scorecard-enforcer.yml, or Scorecard uploading SARIF to Code Scanning. Pins that are merely old are reported as notices and do not fail."
+  echo "::error::Staleness gate failed. Each error above names a specific defect: a pin predating a known false-green fix (refresh it — waiting will not help), a pin that is not a published standards commit, a retired scorecard-enforcer.yml, or a consumer-owned direct Scorecard SARIF publisher. Pins that are merely old are reported as notices and do not fail."
   exit 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/scripts/tests/check-workflow-staleness-test.sh b/scripts/tests/check-workflow-staleness-test.sh
index 6c211fa5..46c75d14 100755
--- a/scripts/tests/check-workflow-staleness-test.sh
+++ b/scripts/tests/check-workflow-staleness-test.sh
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ run_case() {
   local desc="$1" expected="$2" repo="$3"; shift 3
   TOTAL=$((TOTAL + 1))
   set +e
-  env "$@" \
-    GITHUB_REPOSITORY="hyperpolymath/test-repo" \
+  env GITHUB_REPOSITORY="hyperpolymath/test-repo" \
+    "$@" \
     STALENESS_STANDARDS_DIR="$FIX" \
     bash "$CHECK_SCRIPT" "$repo" >/dev/null 2>&1
   local rc=$?
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ run_case_out() {
   TOTAL=$((TOTAL + 1))
   local out rc
   set +e
-  out=$(env "$@" \
-    GITHUB_REPOSITORY="hyperpolymath/test-repo" \
+  out=$(env GITHUB_REPOSITORY="hyperpolymath/test-repo" \
+    "$@" \
     STALENESS_STANDARDS_DIR="$FIX" \
     bash "$CHECK_SCRIPT" "$repo" 2>&1)
   rc=$?
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ R="$TEST_DIR/enforcer"; mk_repo "$R"
 touch "$R/.github/workflows/scorecard-enforcer.yml"
 run_case "retired scorecard-enforcer.yml fails" 1 "$R"
 
-# ── 9. Direct Scorecard SARIF upload -> fail ────────────────────────────────
+# ── 9. Consumer-owned direct Scorecard SARIF upload -> fail ────────────────
 R="$TEST_DIR/sarif"; mk_repo "$R"
 cat > "$R/.github/workflows/scorecard.yml" <<'EOF'
 name: Scorecard
@@ -194,7 +194,12 @@ jobs:
       - uses: ossf/scorecard-action@abc
       - uses: github/codeql-action/upload-sarif@xyz
 EOF
-run_case "direct Scorecard SARIF upload fails" 1 "$R"
+run_case "consumer direct Scorecard SARIF upload fails" 1 "$R"
+
+# The standards repository contains the canonical reusable that consumers call.
+# Its uploader is the controlled source, not a forbidden ad hoc consumer copy.
+run_case "canonical standards Scorecard SARIF uploader passes" 0 "$R" \
+  GITHUB_REPOSITORY=hyperpolymath/standards
 
 # ── 10. No workflows dir -> pass ────────────────────────────────────────────
 R="$TEST_DIR/empty"; mkdir -p "$R"

From 28f7a2cba34c51ebccbc4e99acd4cb7cbe07c71a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Jonathan D.A. Jewell" <6759885+hyperpolymath@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2026 02:55:27 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 4/4] fix(governance): validate pinned staleness source

---
 .github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml | 23 ++++++++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml b/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
index abd69362..0a26b03e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/governance-reusable.yml
@@ -40,14 +40,18 @@ jobs:
             echo "has_baseline=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           fi
 
-      - name: Clone standards repository
-        run: |
-          # Treeless partial clone: full commit graph (needed by the staleness
-          # gate's ancestry / commits-behind / age math) without paying for
-          # every tree+blob in history. Falls back to a deep clone if the
-          # server rejects the partial-clone filter.
-          git clone --filter=tree:0 https://github.com/hyperpolymath/standards.git "$HOME/standards" \
-            || git clone --depth 200 https://github.com/hyperpolymath/standards.git "$HOME/standards"
+      - name: Checkout pinned standards history
+        uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          repository: hyperpolymath/standards
+          # The gate needs the full graph for ancestry and age checks, but its
+          # script must come from the exact reusable commit rather than moving
+          # main. This also lets a Standards PR test its own validator change.
+          ref: ${{ job.workflow_sha }}
+          path: .standards-history
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          filter: tree:0
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Run staleness check
         env:
@@ -60,8 +64,9 @@ jobs:
           # past this commit: the script comes from standards HEAD, but the job
           # definition comes from whatever SHA the consumer pins.
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          STALENESS_STANDARDS_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/.standards-history
         run: |
-          bash "$HOME/standards/scripts/check-workflow-staleness.sh" .
+          bash .standards-history/scripts/check-workflow-staleness.sh .
 
   allowlist-preflight:
     name: Allowlist Preflight