diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-agent.yml b/.github/workflows/build-agent.yml
index 98830fe2..1b0dc2a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-agent.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-agent.yml
@@ -32,10 +32,11 @@ on:
         required: false
         type: string
 
+# Every job states its own permissions. This default is what the build job runs with: it
+# executes third-party code (MSBuild targets, analyzers, test frameworks) and must never hold
+# more than a read-only token.
 permissions:
-  contents: write
-  id-token: write      # keyless Sigstore signing (artifact attestation)
-  attestations: write  # store the provenance attestation
+  contents: read
 
 # Shared with publish-scripts.yml: both write version.json (this workflow the agent fields,
 # the script publisher bootstrapVersion under If-Match). Serialising them keeps a script push
@@ -68,9 +69,19 @@ env:
   CODE_SIGN_TIMESTAMP_URL: http://timestamp.acs.microsoft.com
 
 jobs:
-  build:
-    runs-on: windows-latest
-    name: Build Agent
+  # Runs only this repository's scripts. The deploy identity trusts the `production`
+  # environment, which admits main only.
+  reserve:
+    name: Reserve build number
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: production
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      id-token: write   # OIDC federated login for the counter write
+    outputs:
+      build_number: ${{ steps.version.outputs.build_number }}
+      version: ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
+      tag: ${{ steps.version.outputs.tag }}
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
@@ -90,33 +101,6 @@ jobs:
           }
           Write-Host "Code-signing configuration present (certificate '$env:CODE_SIGN_CERTIFICATE_NAME')"
 
-      # Logs in FIRST and only to fetch the Key Vault token: azure/login sets the default az
-      # account, so the storage login below has to be the last one. Both federated credentials
-      # are bound to the ref, so this job must never be given an `environment:` -- that would
-      # change the OIDC subject claim and break both logins.
-      - name: Login to Azure (code-signing identity)
-        uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
-        with:
-          client-id: ${{ env.CODE_SIGN_CLIENT_ID }}
-          tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
-          allow-no-subscriptions: true
-
-      - name: Acquire Key Vault token for signing
-        shell: pwsh
-        run: |
-          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
-          $token = az account get-access-token --scope https://vault.azure.net/.default --query accessToken --output tsv
-          if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0 -or [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($token)) {
-            throw "Could not acquire a Key Vault token for the code-signing identity."
-          }
-          Write-Host "::add-mask::$token"
-          "CODE_SIGN_AKV_ACCESS_TOKEN=$token" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_ENV -Encoding utf8 -Append
-
-      # Every storage write below (counter blob, agent ZIP, manifests, AdminConfiguration)
-      # is authorized by this federated identity -- no SAS secret. One login covers the whole
-      # job: the federated credential is bound to the ref, and a release run takes ~2 minutes,
-      # well inside the token lifetime. Only the legacy mirror still needs a SAS: that account
-      # lives in the pre-migration tenant, where this principal has no identity.
       - name: Login to Azure (OIDC)
         uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
         with:
@@ -124,18 +108,6 @@ jobs:
           tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
           subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
 
-      # SDK 10 = single build toolchain (parity with local build.ps1 / global.json).
-      - name: Setup .NET
-        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@a98b56852c35b8e3190ac28c8c2271da59106c68 # v6.0.0
-        with:
-          dotnet-version: '10.0.x'
-
-      # Version pinned; roll-forward because the tool targets an older runtime than the SDK above.
-      - name: Install AzureSignTool
-        env:
-          DOTNET_ROLL_FORWARD: LatestMajor
-        run: dotnet tool install --no-cache --global AzureSignTool --version 7.0.1
-
       # Build numbers come from the shared counter blob -- one counter and one
       # implementation for CI and the local build (.github/scripts/Request-BuildNumber.ps1).
       # Reserve-before-build with ETag-CAS: concurrent builds can never mint the same
@@ -174,6 +146,25 @@ jobs:
           "version=$version" >> $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT
           "tag=v$version" >> $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
+  # Build zone: no login, no secret, no id-token. Its only output is the artifact; the
+  # release job treats that as data and never builds.
+  build:
+    name: Build and test
+    needs: reserve
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      # SDK 10 = single build toolchain (parity with local build.ps1 / global.json).
+      - name: Setup .NET
+        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@a98b56852c35b8e3190ac28c8c2271da59106c68 # v6.0.0
+        with:
+          dotnet-version: '10.0.x'
+
       - name: Restore dependencies
         run: |
           dotnet restore ${{ env.AGENT_PROJECT }}
@@ -189,7 +180,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run agent tests (all suites)
         shell: pwsh
         env:
-          BUILD_NUMBER: ${{ steps.version.outputs.build_number }}
+          BUILD_NUMBER: ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.build_number }}
         run: |
           foreach ($project in @($env:DECISIONCORE_TEST_PROJECT, $env:CORE_TEST_PROJECT, $env:DIALOG_TEST_PROJECT)) {
             dotnet test $project --configuration Release --no-restore --verbosity quiet
@@ -199,11 +190,118 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build Agent
         run: dotnet build ${{ env.AGENT_PROJECT }} --configuration Release --no-restore
         env:
-          BUILD_NUMBER: ${{ steps.version.outputs.build_number }}
+          BUILD_NUMBER: ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.build_number }}
 
       - name: Build SummaryDialog
         run: dotnet build ${{ env.DIALOG_PROJECT }} --configuration Release --no-restore
 
+      # One archive per output folder, unsigned. ZipFile rather than Compress-Archive, which
+      # skips hidden files.
+      - name: Package build output
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+          Add-Type -AssemblyName System.IO.Compression.FileSystem
+          $outDir = Join-Path $env:RUNNER_TEMP 'agent-unsigned'
+          New-Item -Path $outDir -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null
+          [System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::CreateFromDirectory((Join-Path $env:GITHUB_WORKSPACE $env:AGENT_OUTPUT), (Join-Path $outDir 'agent.zip'))
+          [System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::CreateFromDirectory((Join-Path $env:GITHUB_WORKSPACE $env:DIALOG_OUTPUT), (Join-Path $outDir 'dialog.zip'))
+          Get-ChildItem $outDir | ForEach-Object { Write-Host "$($_.Name): $([math]::Round($_.Length / 1MB, 2)) MB" }
+
+      - name: Upload unsigned build output
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          name: agent-unsigned
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/agent-unsigned
+          if-no-files-found: error
+          retention-days: 1
+
+  # Trust zone: only this repository's scripts, pinned actions and the pinned signing tool
+  # run here -- never a restore or build. The build output arrives as data.
+  #
+  # No `environment:` yet: the code-signing credential is still bound to the ref, and a job
+  # carries exactly one OIDC subject, so an environment here would break the signing login.
+  release:
+    name: Sign and publish
+    needs: [reserve, build]
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write      # tag + GitHub Release
+      id-token: write      # code-signing and storage logins, keyless Sigstore signing
+      attestations: write  # store the provenance attestation
+    env:
+      AGENT_VERSION: ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.version }}
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Download unsigned build output
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8.0.1
+        with:
+          name: agent-unsigned
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/agent-unsigned
+
+      # Only the two expected archives, each into its own fresh output folder; the .NET
+      # extractor refuses entries that would land outside it. Never unpack into the checkout
+      # root: an archive could otherwise replace the scripts this job runs below.
+      - name: Unpack build output
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+          Add-Type -AssemblyName System.IO.Compression.FileSystem
+          foreach ($pair in @(@('agent.zip', $env:AGENT_OUTPUT), @('dialog.zip', $env:DIALOG_OUTPUT))) {
+            $archive = Join-Path $env:RUNNER_TEMP "agent-unsigned/$($pair[0])"
+            $target = Join-Path $env:GITHUB_WORKSPACE $pair[1]
+            if (Test-Path $target) { throw "$($pair[1]) already exists -- refusing to unpack over it." }
+            [System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::ExtractToDirectory($archive, $target)
+            Write-Host "Unpacked $($pair[0]) into $($pair[1])"
+          }
+
+      # Logs in FIRST and only to fetch the Key Vault token: azure/login sets the default az
+      # account, so the storage login below has to be the last one.
+      - name: Login to Azure (code-signing identity)
+        uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
+        with:
+          client-id: ${{ env.CODE_SIGN_CLIENT_ID }}
+          tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
+          allow-no-subscriptions: true
+
+      - name: Acquire Key Vault token for signing
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+          $token = az account get-access-token --scope https://vault.azure.net/.default --query accessToken --output tsv
+          if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0 -or [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($token)) {
+            throw "Could not acquire a Key Vault token for the code-signing identity."
+          }
+          Write-Host "::add-mask::$token"
+          "CODE_SIGN_AKV_ACCESS_TOKEN=$token" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_ENV -Encoding utf8 -Append
+
+      # Every storage write below (agent ZIP, manifests, AdminConfiguration) is authorized by
+      # this federated identity -- no SAS secret. Only the legacy mirror still needs a SAS:
+      # that account lives in the pre-migration tenant, where this principal has no identity.
+      - name: Login to Azure (OIDC)
+        uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
+        with:
+          client-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}
+          tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
+          subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
+
+      # Runtime for AzureSignTool only; nothing is built in this job.
+      - name: Setup .NET
+        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@a98b56852c35b8e3190ac28c8c2271da59106c68 # v6.0.0
+        with:
+          dotnet-version: '10.0.x'
+
+      # Version pinned; roll-forward because the tool targets an older runtime than the SDK above.
+      - name: Install AzureSignTool
+        env:
+          DOTNET_ROLL_FORWARD: LatestMajor
+        run: dotnet tool install --no-cache --global AzureSignTool --version 7.0.1
+
       # Authenticode over everything we author; third-party assemblies keep their own signature.
       #
       # THE POSITION IS LOAD-BEARING: signing rewrites the PE file, so it must run before the
@@ -249,7 +347,7 @@ jobs:
         id: artifact
         shell: pwsh
         run: |
-          $version = "${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+          $version = $env:AGENT_VERSION
           $stagingDir = "staging/agent"
 
           if (-not (Test-Path "$env:AGENT_OUTPUT/AutopilotMonitor.Agent.exe")) {
@@ -383,6 +481,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Upload to Azure Blob Storage
         if: inputs.upload_blob
         shell: pwsh
+        env:
+          ZIP_SHA256: ${{ steps.artifact.outputs.sha256 }}
+          EXE_SHA256: ${{ steps.artifact.outputs.exe_sha256 }}
         run: |
           $containerUrl = "https://autopilotmonitoreu.blob.core.windows.net/agent"
           $authHeaders = & ./.github/scripts/Get-StorageAuthHeaders.ps1
@@ -452,9 +553,9 @@ jobs:
           if ('${{ inputs.publish_as_stable }}' -ne 'true') {
             Write-Host "SKIPPED: AdminConfiguration update (versioned-only run -- stable namespace unchanged)"
           } else {
-            $sha256 = "${{ steps.artifact.outputs.sha256 }}"
-            $exeSha256 = "${{ steps.artifact.outputs.exe_sha256 }}"
-            $agentVersion = "${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+            $sha256 = $env:ZIP_SHA256
+            $exeSha256 = $env:EXE_SHA256
+            $agentVersion = $env:AGENT_VERSION
             $tableUrl = "https://autopilotmonitoreu.table.core.windows.net/AdminConfiguration(PartitionKey='GlobalConfig',RowKey='config')"
             $tableBody = @{
               LatestAgentV2Version    = $agentVersion
@@ -489,7 +590,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Upload build artifact
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
         with:
-          name: AutopilotMonitor-Agent-v${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
+          name: AutopilotMonitor-Agent-v${{ needs.reserve.outputs.version }}
           path: ${{ steps.artifact.outputs.versioned_zip_release }}
 
       - name: Upload version metadata
@@ -512,15 +613,15 @@ jobs:
         shell: pwsh
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
-          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ steps.version.outputs.tag }}
-          RELEASE_NAME: Autopilot Monitor Agent ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.tag }}
+          RELEASE_NAME: Autopilot Monitor Agent ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.version }}
           RELEASE_PRERELEASE: ${{ inputs.prerelease }}
           RELEASE_ZIP: ${{ steps.artifact.outputs.versioned_zip_release }}
           RELEASE_NOTES: ${{ inputs.release_notes }}
           RELEASE_BODY_TAIL: |
             ### Version Info
-            - **Version:** ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
-            - **Build Number:** ${{ steps.version.outputs.build_number }}
+            - **Version:** ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.version }}
+            - **Build Number:** ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.build_number }}
             - **SHA-256:** `${{ steps.artifact.outputs.sha256 }}`
             - **Built from:** ${{ github.sha }}
             - **Published as stable:** ${{ inputs.publish_as_stable }}
@@ -528,7 +629,7 @@ jobs:
             ### Provenance
             The executables are Authenticode-signed and timestamped. The ZIP and both executables carry a [GitHub Artifact Attestation](https://github.com/okieselbach/AutopilotMonitor/attestations) (Sigstore keyless). Verify:
             ```
-            gh attestation verify AutopilotMonitor-Agent-v${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}.zip --repo okieselbach/AutopilotMonitor
+            gh attestation verify AutopilotMonitor-Agent-v${{ needs.reserve.outputs.version }}.zip --repo okieselbach/AutopilotMonitor
             ```
         run: |
           $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-msi.yml b/.github/workflows/build-msi.yml
index 91bd406f..c13b4cb5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-msi.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-msi.yml
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ on:
         type: boolean
         default: true
 
+# Every job states its own permissions. This default is what the build job runs with: wix is
+# third-party code and must never hold more than a read-only token.
 permissions:
   contents: read
-  id-token: write      # keyless Sigstore signing (artifact attestation)
-  attestations: write  # store the provenance attestation
 
 env:
   MSI_PROJECT_DIR: src/Agent/AutopilotMonitor.BootstrapMsi
@@ -34,9 +34,19 @@ env:
   CODE_SIGN_TIMESTAMP_URL: http://timestamp.acs.microsoft.com
 
 jobs:
-  build:
+  # Signs the loader BEFORE the build: wix embeds the file as it finds it, so a loader signed
+  # afterwards would leave the copy inside the MSI unsigned. Devices under an AllSigned policy
+  # need the embedded loader to carry a signature of its own.
+  #
+  # Trust zone: only this repository's scripts, pinned actions and the pinned signing tool run
+  # here. No `environment:` yet: the code-signing credential is still bound to the ref, and a
+  # job carries exactly one OIDC subject.
+  sign-loader:
+    name: Sign bootstrap loader
     runs-on: windows-latest
-    name: Build Bootstrap MSI
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      id-token: write   # code-signing login
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
@@ -60,6 +70,147 @@ jobs:
           }
           Write-Host "Runner script parse + ASCII check passed"
 
+      # Every published MSI is signed; a missing variable stops the run before the build.
+      - name: Check code-signing configuration
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          foreach ($name in 'CODE_SIGN_CLIENT_ID', 'CODE_SIGN_CERTIFICATE_NAME', 'CODE_SIGN_KEY_VAULT_URL') {
+            if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace([Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable($name))) {
+              throw "Repository variable $name is not set. Every published MSI must be Authenticode-signed."
+            }
+          }
+
+      - name: Login to Azure (code-signing identity)
+        uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
+        with:
+          client-id: ${{ env.CODE_SIGN_CLIENT_ID }}
+          tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
+          allow-no-subscriptions: true
+
+      - name: Acquire Key Vault token for signing
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+          $token = az account get-access-token --scope https://vault.azure.net/.default --query accessToken --output tsv
+          if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0 -or [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($token)) {
+            throw "Could not acquire a Key Vault token for the code-signing identity."
+          }
+          Write-Host "::add-mask::$token"
+          "CODE_SIGN_AKV_ACCESS_TOKEN=$token" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_ENV -Encoding utf8 -Append
+
+      # Version pinned; roll-forward because the tool targets an older runtime than the SDK.
+      - name: Install AzureSignTool
+        env:
+          DOTNET_ROLL_FORWARD: LatestMajor
+        run: dotnet tool install --no-cache --global AzureSignTool --version 7.0.1
+
+      # A missing timestamp fails the run: without it the signature dies with the certificate.
+      - name: Sign bootstrap loader (Authenticode)
+        shell: pwsh
+        env:
+          DOTNET_ROLL_FORWARD: LatestMajor
+        run: |
+          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+          & azuresigntool.exe sign --verbose `
+            --azure-key-vault-url "$env:CODE_SIGN_KEY_VAULT_URL" `
+            --azure-key-vault-accesstoken "$env:CODE_SIGN_AKV_ACCESS_TOKEN" `
+            --azure-key-vault-certificate "$env:CODE_SIGN_CERTIFICATE_NAME" `
+            --timestamp-rfc3161 "$env:CODE_SIGN_TIMESTAMP_URL" `
+            --file-digest sha256 `
+            --description 'Autopilot Monitor bootstrap runner' `
+            --description-url 'https://www.autopilotmonitor.com' `
+            $env:RUNNER_SCRIPT
+          if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "azuresigntool failed with exit code $LASTEXITCODE" }
+
+          $sig = Get-AuthenticodeSignature -FilePath $env:RUNNER_SCRIPT
+          if ($sig.Status -ne 'Valid') { throw "Signature on $env:RUNNER_SCRIPT is '$($sig.Status)', expected 'Valid'." }
+          if (-not $sig.TimeStamperCertificate) { throw "Signature on $env:RUNNER_SCRIPT carries no timestamp." }
+          if ($env:CODE_SIGN_EXPECTED_SUBJECT -and $sig.SignerCertificate.Subject -notlike $env:CODE_SIGN_EXPECTED_SUBJECT) {
+            throw "$env:RUNNER_SCRIPT was signed by '$($sig.SignerCertificate.Subject)', expected '$env:CODE_SIGN_EXPECTED_SUBJECT'."
+          }
+          Write-Host "$env:RUNNER_SCRIPT : Valid, timestamped, signer $($sig.SignerCertificate.Subject.Split(',')[0])"
+
+      - name: Upload signed loader
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          name: bootstrap-loader-signed
+          path: ${{ env.RUNNER_SCRIPT }}
+          if-no-files-found: error
+          retention-days: 1
+
+  # Build zone: no login, no secret, no id-token. Its only output is the artifact; the
+  # release job treats that as data and never builds.
+  build:
+    name: Build MSI
+    needs: sign-loader
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Download signed loader
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8.0.1
+        with:
+          name: bootstrap-loader-signed
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/loader
+
+      # The signed copy replaces the checkout's unsigned one before wix embeds it.
+      - name: Put the signed loader in place
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+          Copy-Item -Path (Join-Path $env:RUNNER_TEMP 'loader/Start-AutopilotMonitor.ps1') -Destination $env:RUNNER_SCRIPT -Force
+          $sig = Get-AuthenticodeSignature -FilePath $env:RUNNER_SCRIPT
+          if ($sig.Status -ne 'Valid') { throw "Loader to embed is '$($sig.Status)', expected 'Valid'." }
+          Write-Host "Embedding the signed loader ($((Get-Item $env:RUNNER_SCRIPT).Length) bytes)"
+
+      # Exact version, not a "5.*" range: wix writes the bytes of the MSI that customers
+      # install, so a compromised or simply broken point release must not flow into a build
+      # unnoticed. Bumping is a reviewed commit.
+      - name: Install WiX toolset
+        run: dotnet tool install --global wix --version 5.0.2
+
+      - name: Build MSI
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          # wix resolves File/@Source relative to the working directory, not the wxs —
+          # build from inside the project dir (same as the local build documented in the wxs).
+          $out = Join-Path (Get-Location) $env:STABLE_MSI
+          Push-Location $env:MSI_PROJECT_DIR
+          wix build Package.wxs -arch x64 -o $out
+          Pop-Location
+          if (-not (Test-Path $env:STABLE_MSI)) { Write-Error "wix build produced no MSI"; exit 1 }
+          Write-Host "Built $env:STABLE_MSI ($([math]::Round((Get-Item $env:STABLE_MSI).Length / 1KB)) KB)"
+
+      - name: Upload unsigned MSI
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          name: bootstrap-msi-unsigned
+          path: ${{ env.STABLE_MSI }}
+          if-no-files-found: error
+          retention-days: 1
+
+  # Trust zone: signs, verifies and publishes the MSI as data; never builds. No
+  # `environment:` yet, for the same reason as sign-loader.
+  release:
+    name: Sign and publish MSI
+    needs: build
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      id-token: write      # code-signing and storage logins, keyless Sigstore signing
+      attestations: write  # store the provenance attestation
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      # Read from this job's own checkout, never handed over by the build job.
       - name: Read MSI version from Package.wxs
         id: version
         shell: pwsh
@@ -73,20 +224,19 @@ jobs:
           Write-Host "MSI version (from Package.wxs): $version"
           "version=$version" >> $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
-      # Every published MSI is signed; a missing variable stops the run before the build.
-      - name: Check code-signing configuration
+      - name: Download unsigned MSI
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8.0.1
+        with:
+          name: bootstrap-msi-unsigned
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/msi
+
+      # Only the expected file leaves the download folder.
+      - name: Take the MSI from the build
         shell: pwsh
-        run: |
-          foreach ($name in 'CODE_SIGN_CLIENT_ID', 'CODE_SIGN_CERTIFICATE_NAME', 'CODE_SIGN_KEY_VAULT_URL') {
-            if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace([Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable($name))) {
-              throw "Repository variable $name is not set. Every published MSI must be Authenticode-signed."
-            }
-          }
+        run: Copy-Item -Path (Join-Path $env:RUNNER_TEMP "msi/$env:STABLE_MSI") -Destination $env:STABLE_MSI -ErrorAction Stop
 
       # Logs in FIRST and only to fetch the Key Vault token: azure/login sets the default az
-      # account, so the storage login below has to be the last one. Both federated credentials
-      # are bound to the ref, so this job must never be given an `environment:` -- that would
-      # change the OIDC subject claim and break both logins.
+      # account, so the storage login below has to be the last one.
       - name: Login to Azure (code-signing identity)
         uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
         with:
@@ -113,50 +263,12 @@ jobs:
           tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
           subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
 
-      # Exact version, not a "5.*" range: wix writes the bytes of the MSI that customers
-      # install, so a compromised or simply broken point release must not flow into a build
-      # unnoticed. Bumping is a reviewed commit.
-      - name: Install WiX toolset
-        run: dotnet tool install --global wix --version 5.0.2
-
       # Version pinned; roll-forward because the tool targets an older runtime than the SDK.
       - name: Install AzureSignTool
         env:
           DOTNET_ROLL_FORWARD: LatestMajor
         run: dotnet tool install --no-cache --global AzureSignTool --version 7.0.1
 
-      # BEFORE the build: wix embeds the file as it finds it, so a loader signed afterwards
-      # would leave the copy inside the MSI unsigned. Devices under an AllSigned policy need
-      # the embedded loader to carry a signature of its own.
-      - name: Sign bootstrap loader (Authenticode)
-        shell: pwsh
-        env:
-          DOTNET_ROLL_FORWARD: LatestMajor
-        run: |
-          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
-          & azuresigntool.exe sign --verbose `
-            --azure-key-vault-url "$env:CODE_SIGN_KEY_VAULT_URL" `
-            --azure-key-vault-accesstoken "$env:CODE_SIGN_AKV_ACCESS_TOKEN" `
-            --azure-key-vault-certificate "$env:CODE_SIGN_CERTIFICATE_NAME" `
-            --timestamp-rfc3161 "$env:CODE_SIGN_TIMESTAMP_URL" `
-            --file-digest sha256 `
-            --description 'Autopilot Monitor bootstrap runner' `
-            --description-url 'https://www.autopilotmonitor.com' `
-            $env:RUNNER_SCRIPT
-          if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "azuresigntool failed with exit code $LASTEXITCODE" }
-
-      - name: Build MSI
-        shell: pwsh
-        run: |
-          # wix resolves File/@Source relative to the working directory, not the wxs —
-          # build from inside the project dir (same as the local build documented in the wxs).
-          $out = Join-Path (Get-Location) $env:STABLE_MSI
-          Push-Location $env:MSI_PROJECT_DIR
-          wix build Package.wxs -arch x64 -o $out
-          Pop-Location
-          if (-not (Test-Path $env:STABLE_MSI)) { Write-Error "wix build produced no MSI"; exit 1 }
-          Write-Host "Built $env:STABLE_MSI ($([math]::Round((Get-Item $env:STABLE_MSI).Length / 1KB)) KB)"
-
       # Signing rewrites the MSI, so it runs before the hash and the upload. A missing
       # timestamp fails the run: without it the signature dies with the certificate.
       - name: Sign MSI (Authenticode)
@@ -176,26 +288,26 @@ jobs:
             $env:STABLE_MSI
           if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "azuresigntool failed with exit code $LASTEXITCODE" }
 
-          # The MSI and the loader it carries -- verified here, before anything is published.
-          foreach ($file in @($env:STABLE_MSI, $env:RUNNER_SCRIPT)) {
-            $sig = Get-AuthenticodeSignature -FilePath $file
-            if ($sig.Status -ne 'Valid') { throw "Signature on $file is '$($sig.Status)', expected 'Valid'." }
-            if (-not $sig.TimeStamperCertificate) { throw "Signature on $file carries no timestamp." }
-            if ($env:CODE_SIGN_EXPECTED_SUBJECT -and $sig.SignerCertificate.Subject -notlike $env:CODE_SIGN_EXPECTED_SUBJECT) {
-              throw "$file was signed by '$($sig.SignerCertificate.Subject)', expected '$env:CODE_SIGN_EXPECTED_SUBJECT'."
-            }
-            Write-Host "$file : Valid, timestamped, signer $($sig.SignerCertificate.Subject.Split(',')[0])"
+          # The loader was verified in sign-loader; here the MSI, before anything is published.
+          $sig = Get-AuthenticodeSignature -FilePath $env:STABLE_MSI
+          if ($sig.Status -ne 'Valid') { throw "Signature on $env:STABLE_MSI is '$($sig.Status)', expected 'Valid'." }
+          if (-not $sig.TimeStamperCertificate) { throw "Signature on $env:STABLE_MSI carries no timestamp." }
+          if ($env:CODE_SIGN_EXPECTED_SUBJECT -and $sig.SignerCertificate.Subject -notlike $env:CODE_SIGN_EXPECTED_SUBJECT) {
+            throw "$env:STABLE_MSI was signed by '$($sig.SignerCertificate.Subject)', expected '$env:CODE_SIGN_EXPECTED_SUBJECT'."
           }
+          Write-Host "$env:STABLE_MSI : Valid, timestamped, signer $($sig.SignerCertificate.Subject.Split(',')[0])"
 
           Write-Host "SHA-256: $((Get-FileHash $env:STABLE_MSI -Algorithm SHA256).Hash.ToLowerInvariant())"
 
       - name: Upload to Azure Blob Storage
         if: inputs.upload_blob
         shell: pwsh
+        env:
+          MSI_VERSION: ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
         run: |
           $containerUrl = "https://autopilotmonitoreu.blob.core.windows.net/agent"
           $authHeaders = & ./.github/scripts/Get-StorageAuthHeaders.ps1
-          $version = "${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+          $version = $env:MSI_VERSION
 
           # Same Send-Blob contract as build-agent.yml: no-cache on every blob because the
           # stable name rotates in place behind the download alias. No legacy mirror — the
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 8b52d98d..f988bf16 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/deploy-mcp.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/deploy-web.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/indexnow-notify.yml'
-      - '.github/workflows/oidc-login-test.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/pester.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/publish-scripts.yml'
   pull_request:
@@ -80,7 +79,6 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/deploy-mcp.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/deploy-web.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/indexnow-notify.yml'
-      - '.github/workflows/oidc-login-test.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/pester.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/publish-scripts.yml'
   workflow_dispatch:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
index 2fec9106..fbf0d0d7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql.yml
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/deploy-mcp.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/deploy-web.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/indexnow-notify.yml'
-      - '.github/workflows/oidc-login-test.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/pester.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/publish-scripts.yml'
   pull_request:
@@ -69,7 +68,6 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/deploy-mcp.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/deploy-web.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/indexnow-notify.yml'
-      - '.github/workflows/oidc-login-test.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/pester.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/publish-scripts.yml'
   schedule:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/combine-rules.yml b/.github/workflows/combine-rules.yml
index 75533ebc..c52cdfda 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/combine-rules.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/combine-rules.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 name: Validate & Combine Rules
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [main, dev]
+    branches: [main]
     paths:
       - 'rules/gather/**'
       - 'rules/analyze/**'
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ on:
       - 'rules/schema/**'
       - 'rules/scripts/**'
       - 'rules/guardrails.json'
+      - '.github/workflows/combine-rules.yml'
   pull_request:
     paths:
       - 'rules/gather/**'
@@ -17,24 +18,27 @@ on:
       - 'rules/schema/**'
       - 'rules/scripts/**'
       - 'rules/guardrails.json'
+      - '.github/workflows/combine-rules.yml'
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
 
 jobs:
-  validate-and-combine:
+  # Pull requests and pushes alike; read-only, because the validator is third-party code.
+  validate:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      contents: write
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - uses: actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
 
-      # Lockfile and no lifecycle scripts: this job holds contents:write and pushes to
-      # main, so an install-time script from a hijacked package would run with a token that
-      # can rewrite the repository. rules/scripts/package-lock.json pins ajv, ajv-formats
-      # and every transitive package (Dependabot keeps it current); ajv is pure JS and
-      # needs no install hooks.
+      # Lockfile and no lifecycle scripts: rules/scripts/package-lock.json pins ajv,
+      # ajv-formats and every transitive package (Dependabot keeps it current); ajv is pure
+      # JS and needs no install hooks.
       - name: Install the rules validator from the lockfile
         working-directory: rules/scripts
         run: npm ci --ignore-scripts
@@ -48,13 +52,31 @@ jobs:
       - name: Combine rules into dist/
         run: node rules/scripts/combine.js
 
-      # Plain git instead of a third-party action: this step runs with contents:write on
-      # main, so no code we do not control gets to push. Checkout leaves the job's
-      # GITHUB_TOKEN in the remote credential helper, which is all `git push` needs.
+  # The one job that can push to main, and it installs nothing: combine.js needs only node's
+  # built-ins, so no package code ever runs next to the write token. Keep it that way -- a
+  # dependency in combine.js would need its own job.
+  publish:
+    needs: validate
+    if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.event_name == 'push'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    steps:
+      # Checkout leaves the job's GITHUB_TOKEN in the remote credential helper, which is all
+      # `git push` needs.
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0
+        with:
+          node-version: '22'
+
+      - name: Combine rules into dist/
+        run: node rules/scripts/combine.js
+
+      # Plain git instead of a third-party action, so no code we do not control gets to push.
       # NOTE: combine.js writes THREE outputs; committing only dist/ would silently discard
       # the two generated TS modules and leave the guardrails-in-sync CI check red.
       - name: Commit generated outputs
-        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.event_name == 'push'
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-backend.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-backend.yml
index 6ebce11d..09f47ad1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-backend.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-backend.yml
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ name: Deploy Backend (Azure Functions)
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
+# Every job states its own permissions. This default is what the build job runs with: restore
+# and build execute third-party code (NuGet MSBuild targets, the Functions worker SDK) and must
+# never hold more than a read-only token.
 permissions:
-  id-token: write   # OIDC federated login (secret-less)
   contents: read
 
 env:
@@ -14,9 +16,19 @@ env:
   CSPROJ_PATH: src/Backend/AutopilotMonitor.Functions/AutopilotMonitor.Functions.csproj
 
 jobs:
-  build-and-deploy:
+  # Runs only this repository's scripts. The deploy identity trusts the `production`
+  # environment, which admits main only.
+  reserve:
+    name: Reserve build number
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    name: Build and Deploy Backend
+    environment: production
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      id-token: write   # OIDC federated login (secret-less)
+    outputs:
+      build_number: ${{ steps.version.outputs.build_number }}
+      version: ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
+      build_utc: ${{ steps.version.outputs.build_utc }}
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
@@ -30,11 +42,6 @@ jobs:
           tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
           subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
 
-      - name: Setup .NET 10
-        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@a98b56852c35b8e3190ac28c8c2271da59106c68 # v6.0.0
-        with:
-          dotnet-version: '10.0.x'
-
       # Same counter mechanism as the agent line: reserve-before-build with ETag-CAS
       # against a per-component counter blob. BuildTimestampUtc is pinned here rather
       # than left to MSBuild's default so the published manifest and the value baked
@@ -57,20 +64,86 @@ jobs:
           "version=$version" >> $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT
           "build_utc=$buildUtc" >> $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
+  # Build zone: no login, no secret, no id-token. Its only output is the artifact; the
+  # deploy job treats that as data and never builds.
+  build:
+    name: Build
+    needs: reserve
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Setup .NET 10
+        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@a98b56852c35b8e3190ac28c8c2271da59106c68 # v6.0.0
+        with:
+          dotnet-version: '10.0.x'
+
       - name: Restore dependencies
         run: dotnet restore ${{ env.CSPROJ_PATH }}
 
       - name: Build
-        run: dotnet build ${{ env.CSPROJ_PATH }} --configuration Release --no-restore -p:SourceRevisionId=${{ github.sha }} -p:BuildNumber=${{ steps.version.outputs.build_number }} -p:BuildTimestampUtc=${{ steps.version.outputs.build_utc }}
+        run: dotnet build ${{ env.CSPROJ_PATH }} --configuration Release --no-restore -p:SourceRevisionId=${{ github.sha }} -p:BuildNumber=${{ needs.reserve.outputs.build_number }} -p:BuildTimestampUtc=${{ needs.reserve.outputs.build_utc }}
 
       - name: Publish
-        run: dotnet publish ${{ env.CSPROJ_PATH }} --configuration Release --output ./publish --no-build -p:SourceRevisionId=${{ github.sha }} -p:BuildNumber=${{ steps.version.outputs.build_number }} -p:BuildTimestampUtc=${{ steps.version.outputs.build_utc }}
+        run: dotnet publish ${{ env.CSPROJ_PATH }} --configuration Release --output ./publish --no-build -p:SourceRevisionId=${{ github.sha }} -p:BuildNumber=${{ needs.reserve.outputs.build_number }} -p:BuildTimestampUtc=${{ needs.reserve.outputs.build_utc }}
+
+      # One archive, not a folder upload: upload-artifact skips hidden files, and the
+      # isolated worker cannot start without the publish output's .azurefunctions/ folder.
+      - name: Package publish output
+        run: tar -czf "$RUNNER_TEMP/backend-publish.tgz" -C publish .
+
+      - name: Upload publish output
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          name: backend-publish
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/backend-publish.tgz
+          if-no-files-found: error
+          retention-days: 1
+
+  # Trust zone: only this repository's scripts and pinned actions run here, never a restore
+  # or build. The package is unpacked outside the checkout, so nothing in it can replace the
+  # scripts this job runs.
+  deploy:
+    name: Deploy and verify
+    needs: [reserve, build]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: production
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      id-token: write   # OIDC federated login (secret-less)
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Download publish output
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8.0.1
+        with:
+          name: backend-publish
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/backend-artifact
+
+      # GNU tar refuses members with '..' and strips leading '/'.
+      - name: Unpack publish output
+        run: |
+          mkdir "$RUNNER_TEMP/publish"
+          tar -xzf "$RUNNER_TEMP/backend-artifact/backend-publish.tgz" -C "$RUNNER_TEMP/publish"
+
+      - name: Login to Azure (OIDC)
+        uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
+        with:
+          client-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}
+          tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
+          subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
 
       - name: Deploy to Azure Functions
         uses: Azure/functions-action@c5060b3b8bb1ebbcb531abd00c822ecbaa8ea656 # v1.5.7
         with:
           app-name: ${{ env.FUNCTION_APP }}
-          package: ./publish
+          package: ${{ runner.temp }}/publish
 
       # A green deploy step only means the package was accepted. This gate makes the
       # workflow assert what is actually being served, so the manifest published below
@@ -78,9 +151,11 @@ jobs:
       # /api/health is IP rate-limited at 30/min; one poll per 10s stays well under.
       - name: Verify deployed build is live
         shell: pwsh
+        env:
+          EXPECTED_VERSION: ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.version }}
         run: |
           $expectedCommit = '${{ github.sha }}'.Substring(0, 7)
-          $expectedVersion = '${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}'
+          $expectedVersion = $env:EXPECTED_VERSION
           $deadline = [DateTime]::UtcNow.AddMinutes(3)
           $attempt = 0
 
@@ -107,12 +182,15 @@ jobs:
       # (rollback, stale instance) rather than a half-finished pipeline.
       - name: Publish version manifest
         shell: pwsh
+        env:
+          BACKEND_VERSION: ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.version }}
+          BACKEND_BUILD_UTC: ${{ needs.reserve.outputs.build_utc }}
         run: |
           $manifest = [ordered]@{
             component   = 'backend'
-            version     = '${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}'
+            version     = $env:BACKEND_VERSION
             commit      = '${{ github.sha }}'.Substring(0, 7)
-            buildUtc    = '${{ steps.version.outputs.build_utc }}'
+            buildUtc    = $env:BACKEND_BUILD_UTC
             deployedUtc = [DateTime]::UtcNow.ToString('o')
             runId       = '${{ github.run_id }}'
           } | ConvertTo-Json
diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-mcp.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-mcp.yml
index a3927fac..035a3ec8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-mcp.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-mcp.yml
@@ -21,9 +21,15 @@ env:
   PACKAGE_JSON: src/McpServer/autopilot-monitor-mcp/package.json
 
 jobs:
+  # One job on purpose, unlike the other deploys: all third-party code (npm ci, the build, the
+  # embedding precompute) runs inside `docker build`, whose containers see neither the az
+  # login nor the registry credentials nor this job's OIDC request token. That container is
+  # the boundary -- never move npm onto the runner here, or the build gets the job's
+  # credentials. The deploy identity trusts the `production` environment, which admits main only.
   build-and-deploy:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     name: Build and Deploy MCP Server
+    environment: production
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-web.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-web.yml
index 3b1e9c29..f2b92cf5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-web.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-web.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ name: Deploy Web (Static Web App)
 # path ci.yml tests (setup-node 22 + npm ci + next build) instead of Oryx guessing inside the
 # action's container, and the exported site is attested like the agent ZIP and the MSI.
 #
+# Three jobs, each holding only what it needs: build runs all third-party code without any
+# credential, deploy holds the SWA token alone, record attests, verifies and writes the
+# manifest. A failed record job is re-run on its own; it writes only once the live site
+# serves this commit.
+#
 # PR preview environments were dropped with the action: their per-PR URLs are never
 # registered as redirect URIs, so nobody could log in on them anyway.
 
@@ -17,10 +22,11 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/deploy-web.yml'
   workflow_dispatch:
 
+# Every job states its own permissions. This default is what the build job runs with: npm ci
+# (install scripts included) and next build execute third-party code and must never hold more
+# than a read-only token.
 permissions:
   contents: read
-  id-token: write      # keyless Sigstore signing (artifact attestation)
-  attestations: write  # store the provenance attestation
 
 env:
   PORTAL_VERSION_URL: https://portal.autopilotmonitor.com/version.json
@@ -31,9 +37,14 @@ env:
   SWA_CLI_VERSION: 2.0.10
 
 jobs:
-  build_and_deploy_job:
+  # Build zone: no login, no id-token. The one secret here is the Application Insights
+  # connection string, which ships inside the public bundle anyway.
+  build:
+    name: Build
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    name: Build and Deploy Job
+    outputs:
+      docs_sha: ${{ steps.docs.outputs.sha }}
+
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
         with:
@@ -41,15 +52,6 @@ jobs:
           lfs: false
           fetch-depth: 0  # Full history needed for git-based sitemap lastmod dates
 
-      # Only the version manifest at the very end needs Azure; logging in here rather than
-      # next to that step keeps a credential problem from surfacing after a live deploy.
-      - name: Login to Azure (OIDC)
-        uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
-        with:
-          client-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}
-          tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
-          subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
-
       # The customer docs repo is the single source of the "What's new" panel: the prebuild
       # step (scripts/whats-new/build-whats-new.js) turns changelog/*.md into
       # public/whats-new.json and dates every bullet via git blame — hence the full history.
@@ -136,19 +138,37 @@ jobs:
           echo "archive=$archive" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           sha256sum "$archive"
 
-      # Sigstore keyless provenance: binds the export digest to this workflow run (repo, ref,
-      # commit, workflow file) in a public transparency log.
-      # Verify: gh attestation verify portal-<sha>.tar.gz --repo okieselbach/AutopilotMonitor
-      - name: Attest build provenance (portal export)
-        uses: actions/attest-build-provenance@4d101475d8b20a2381f78447822ac1eab6504dd8 # v4.2.2
-        with:
-          subject-path: ${{ steps.package.outputs.archive }}
-
       - name: Upload build artifact
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
         with:
           name: portal-${{ github.sha }}
           path: ${{ steps.package.outputs.archive }}
+          if-no-files-found: error
+
+  # Holds the SWA deployment token and nothing else -- deliberately no id-token: the SWA CLI
+  # is third-party npm code whose dependencies resolve at run time.
+  deploy:
+    name: Deploy to Static Web App
+    needs: build
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: production
+
+    steps:
+      # For staticwebapp.config.json only.
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Download build artifact
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8.0.1
+        with:
+          name: portal-${{ github.sha }}
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/portal
+
+      - name: Unpack export
+        run: |
+          mkdir "$WEB_DIR/out"
+          tar -xzf "$RUNNER_TEMP/portal/portal-${GITHUB_SHA::7}.tar.gz" -C "$WEB_DIR/out"
 
       # Upload only -- out/ is already built. --swa-config-location points at the app root,
       # where staticwebapp.config.json lives (next export does not copy it into out/).
@@ -163,6 +183,44 @@ jobs:
             --env production \
             --no-use-keychain
 
+  # Trust zone: only this repository's scripts and pinned actions run here. The deploy
+  # identity trusts the `production` environment, which admits main only.
+  record:
+    name: Attest, verify and record
+    needs: [build, deploy]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: production
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      id-token: write      # keyless Sigstore signing, OIDC login for the manifest
+      attestations: write  # store the provenance attestation
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Download build artifact
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8.0.1
+        with:
+          name: portal-${{ github.sha }}
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/portal
+
+      - name: Locate the export archive
+        id: archive
+        run: |
+          path="$RUNNER_TEMP/portal/portal-${GITHUB_SHA::7}.tar.gz"
+          test -f "$path" || { echo "::error::Export archive for this commit is missing"; exit 1; }
+          echo "path=$path" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      # Sigstore keyless provenance: binds the export digest to this workflow run (repo, ref,
+      # commit, workflow file) in a public transparency log.
+      # Verify: gh attestation verify portal-<sha>.tar.gz --repo okieselbach/AutopilotMonitor
+      - name: Attest build provenance (portal export)
+        uses: actions/attest-build-provenance@4d101475d8b20a2381f78447822ac1eab6504dd8 # v4.2.2
+        with:
+          subject-path: ${{ steps.archive.outputs.path }}
+
       # The CLI reporting success proves the upload, not that the production host serves the
       # new build -- verify against the live /version.json (Cache-Control: no-store via
       # staticwebapp.config.json) before publishing the version manifest.
@@ -190,18 +248,32 @@ jobs:
 
           throw "Portal did not serve commit $expectedCommit within 5 minutes -- deployment not verified, version manifest NOT published"
 
+      - name: Login to Azure (OIDC)
+        uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
+        with:
+          client-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}
+          tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
+          subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
+
       # Cross-component deploy record, written last and only on a verified deploy --
       # same contract as versions/backend.json and versions/mcp.json. docsCommit says which
       # docs revision the live What's new panel was generated from (as for the MCP corpus).
+      # The docs commit comes from the build job, so it arrives as data and is checked
+      # against the shape of a commit id before it is used.
       - name: Publish version manifest
         shell: pwsh
+        env:
+          DOCS_SHA: ${{ needs.build.outputs.docs_sha }}
         run: |
+          if ($env:DOCS_SHA -notmatch '^[0-9a-f]{40}$') {
+            throw "The build job handed over no valid docs commit -- version manifest NOT published."
+          }
           $manifest = [ordered]@{
             component   = 'web'
             commit      = '${{ github.sha }}'.Substring(0, 7)
             deployedUtc = [DateTime]::UtcNow.ToString('o')
             runId       = '${{ github.run_id }}'
-            docsCommit  = '${{ steps.docs.outputs.sha }}'.Substring(0, 7)
+            docsCommit  = $env:DOCS_SHA.Substring(0, 7)
           } | ConvertTo-Json
 
           $authHeaders = & ./.github/scripts/Get-StorageAuthHeaders.ps1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/oidc-login-test.yml b/.github/workflows/oidc-login-test.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index ac63f520..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/oidc-login-test.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-# TEMPORARY: proves the secret-less OIDC federated login works end-to-end.
-# Delete after the cross-tenant migration is verified (or keep as a cheap smoke test).
-name: OIDC Login Test
-
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-
-permissions:
-  id-token: write
-  contents: read
-
-jobs:
-  login-test:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    name: Federated login + read check
-    steps:
-      - name: Login to Azure (OIDC)
-        uses: azure/login@a641126d1b8aa4d1fa005f4f92df94a3a4c4c906 # v3.1.0
-        with:
-          client-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}
-          tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
-          subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID }}
-
-      - name: Prove identity and RBAC scope
-        run: |
-          az account show --query "{subscription:name, subscriptionId:id, tenantId:tenantId, user:user.name}" -o json
-          echo "--- function app visible with Contributor scope? ---"
-          az functionapp list --query "[].name" -o json
diff --git a/zizmor.yml b/zizmor.yml
index 52fcdeeb..9c1ccd49 100644
--- a/zizmor.yml
+++ b/zizmor.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 rules:
   artipacked:
     ignore:
-      # Pushes the regenerated rule outputs to main with the job token that checkout
-      # leaves in the credential helper -- the one job that needs persisted credentials.
+      # The publish job pushes the regenerated rule outputs to main with the job token that
+      # checkout leaves in the credential helper -- the one job that needs persisted
+      # credentials. It installs no packages; the validate job beside it is read-only.
       - combine-rules.yml