What a push can be made to prove

Every policy lists what it checks AND what it leaves unchecked — a control that hides its gaps only looks like protection. Combine them when you connect a repository; each one you add tightens the gate.

Signed pushes

Every push is signed by a known identity.

the push carries a certificate this server issued a nonce for
the signature verifies against the configured Fulcio roots
the certificate covers exactly the refs being updated

does not check that anything was tested
does not distinguish a human from an agent

Tested before merge

A cilock attestation proves the tests ran and passed for this exact commit.

everything in Signed pushes
an attestation exists in Archivista for the commit being pushed
it was produced by cilock and signed by the platform
it reports the suite passed

does not check WHICH tests ran, only that the suite reported success
does not require a human to have looked at the change

Humans only on main

Agents may push anywhere except the protected branch.

everything in Signed pushes
a push to the protected ref is signed by a credential that proves PRESENCE
agent credentials prove possession only, so they cannot satisfy it

does not stop an agent pushing a branch and a human merging it unread

Tested and reviewed

Machine evidence that it works, plus a person who approved it.

everything in Tested before merge
a separate approval attestation from a human identity
the approver is not the pusher

does not verify the reviewer read anything, only that they approved