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Protected Surface

A protected surface is one where technical capability to change it is not sufficient authority to change it.

Rule

Technical capability MUST NOT be treated as sufficient authority for a protected surface.

A protected surface MUST declare:

  • the object being protected;
  • the role or roles the object performs;
  • the review required to cross the authority boundary;
  • the evidence required to support that review;
  • the maximum AI authority permitted for that surface role.

Rationale

Access control can grant the capability to perform an operation. It does not by itself establish that the capability is sufficient authority to modify a protected repository or lifecycle surface.

Accountable Surfaces records where capability is insufficient authority and binds each crossing of that gap to required human review, supporting evidence, and permitted AI participation.

Examples

A file may be editable by a contributor but still be protected because it changes the repository's public contract.

A workflow may be technically modifiable but protected because it controls release behavior.

A generated artifact may be technically overwritable but protected because downstream systems consume it as a contract.

A lifecycle gate may be technically executable but protected because execution has downstream institutional or human consequences.