diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a3b9a468
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/CODEOWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+.github/chainguard/serverless-init-ci-publish.sts.yaml @DataDog/serverless
+.github/publish-serverless-init-to-ghcr.yaml @DataDog/serverless
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/chainguard/serverless-init-ci-publish.sts.yaml b/.github/chainguard/serverless-init-ci-publish.sts.yaml
index 07d915ec5..30ce1176a 100644
--- a/.github/chainguard/serverless-init-ci-publish.sts.yaml
+++ b/.github/chainguard/serverless-init-ci-publish.sts.yaml
@@ -1,24 +1,25 @@
 # DD Octo STS Trust Policy for serverless-init-ci GitLab pipeline
 #
-# This policy allows the serverless-init-ci GitLab pipeline to publish
-# serverless-init images to GitHub Container Registry (GHCR).
+# This policy allows the serverless-init-ci GitLab pipeline to trigger
+# GitHub Actions workflows that publish serverless-init images to GHCR.
 #
 # Reference: https://datadoghq.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SECENG/pages/5138645099
 # Pipeline: https://gitlab.ddbuild.io/DataDog/serverless-init-ci
 
 issuer: https://gitlab.ddbuild.io
 
-# Subject pattern matches the serverless-init-ci repo on any branch or tag
+# Subject pattern matches the serverless-init-ci repo on any protected branch or tag
 subject_pattern: "project_path:DataDog/serverless-init-ci:ref_type:(branch|tag):ref:.*"
 
-# Allow all branches and tags for building RC and prod images
+# Only allow protected branches and tags (security control)
 claim_pattern:
   project_path: "DataDog/serverless-init-ci"
   ref_type: "^(branch|tag)$"
-  pipeline_source: "^(web|pipeline|push)$"
+  ref_protected: "true"
+  pipeline_source: "^(web|pipeline)$"
   ci_config_ref_uri: "^gitlab\\.ddbuild\\.io/DataDog/serverless-init-ci//\\.gitlab-ci\\.yml@refs/(heads|tags)/.*$"
 
-# Minimal permissions: only write packages to GHCR
+# Minimal permissions: only trigger GitHub Actions workflows
+# The workflow itself uses GITHUB_TOKEN for GHCR access
 permissions:
-  packages: write
-  metadata: read
\ No newline at end of file
+  actions: write
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-serverless-init-to-ghcr.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-serverless-init-to-ghcr.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e8576549a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-serverless-init-to-ghcr.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+name: Publish serverless-init to GHCR
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      source_image:
+        description: 'Source image from registry.datadoghq.com (e.g., registry.datadoghq.com/serverless-init:1.7.8)'
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      version:
+        description: 'Version tag (e.g., 1.7.8 or 1.7.8-rc1)'
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      image_suffix:
+        description: 'Image suffix (empty for standard, -alpine for alpine)'
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: ''
+      pipeline_id:
+        description: 'GitLab pipeline ID'
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      is_latest:
+        description: 'Tag as latest (true for prod releases, false for RCs)'
+        required: true
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
+
+permissions:
+  packages: write
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  publish-to-ghcr:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Install crane
+        run: |
+          cd /tmp
+          wget https://github.com/google/go-containerregistry/releases/download/v0.20.2/go-containerregistry_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz
+          tar -xzf go-containerregistry_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz
+          sudo mv crane /usr/local/bin/
+          crane version
+
+      - name: Login to GHCR
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          registry: ghcr.io
+          username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Wait for image availability
+        run: |
+          SOURCE_IMAGE="${{ inputs.source_image }}"
+          MAX_ATTEMPTS=20
+          RETRY_DELAY=30
+          # Maximum wait time: 20 attempts × 30s = 600s (10 minutes)
+
+          echo "⏳ Waiting for image to be available: ${SOURCE_IMAGE}"
+          echo "Will check every ${RETRY_DELAY}s for up to $((MAX_ATTEMPTS * RETRY_DELAY))s"
+
+          for i in $(seq 1 $MAX_ATTEMPTS); do
+            echo "Attempt $i/$MAX_ATTEMPTS: Checking if image exists..."
+
+            if crane manifest ${SOURCE_IMAGE} >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+              echo "✅ Image is available!"
+              exit 0
+            fi
+
+            if [ $i -lt $MAX_ATTEMPTS ]; then
+              echo "⏳ Image not yet available, waiting ${RETRY_DELAY}s..."
+              sleep $RETRY_DELAY
+            fi
+          done
+
+          echo "❌ Image did not become available after $((MAX_ATTEMPTS * RETRY_DELAY))s"
+          exit 1
+
+      - name: Copy image to GHCR
+        run: |
+          SOURCE_IMAGE="${{ inputs.source_image }}"
+          VERSION="${{ inputs.version }}"
+          IMAGE_SUFFIX="${{ inputs.image_suffix }}"
+          PIPELINE_ID="${{ inputs.pipeline_id }}"
+          IS_LATEST="${{ inputs.is_latest }}"
+
+          DEST_BASE="ghcr.io/datadog/datadog-lambda-extension/serverless-init"
+
+          echo "📦 Publishing serverless-init image to GHCR"
+          echo "  Source: ${SOURCE_IMAGE}"
+          echo "  Destinations:"
+          echo "    - ${DEST_BASE}:${VERSION}${IMAGE_SUFFIX}"
+          echo "    - ${DEST_BASE}:v${PIPELINE_ID}${IMAGE_SUFFIX}"
+
+          # Copy with version tag (with retry logic)
+          # Maximum retry duration: 3 attempts with 10s delays between retries
+          # This workflow is triggered in parallel with the publish attempt to registry.datadoghq.com
+          # Registry.datadoghq.com should normally need about ~30 seconds to recieve the new image
+          MAX_COPY_ATTEMPTS=3
+          COPY_RETRY_DELAY=10
+
+          for i in $(seq 1 $MAX_COPY_ATTEMPTS); do
+            echo "Copying image (attempt $i/$MAX_COPY_ATTEMPTS)..."
+
+            if crane copy ${SOURCE_IMAGE} ${DEST_BASE}:${VERSION}${IMAGE_SUFFIX}; then
+              echo "✅ Image copied successfully!"
+              break
+            fi
+
+            if [ $i -lt $MAX_COPY_ATTEMPTS ]; then
+              echo "⚠️ Copy failed, retrying in ${COPY_RETRY_DELAY}s..."
+              sleep $COPY_RETRY_DELAY
+            else
+              echo "❌ Failed to copy image after $MAX_COPY_ATTEMPTS attempts"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          done
+
+          # Tag for pipeline ID
+          crane tag ${DEST_BASE}:${VERSION}${IMAGE_SUFFIX} v${PIPELINE_ID}${IMAGE_SUFFIX}
+
+          # Tag as latest if this is a production release
+          if [ "$IS_LATEST" = "true" ]; then
+            echo "    - ${DEST_BASE}:latest${IMAGE_SUFFIX}"
+            crane tag ${DEST_BASE}:${VERSION}${IMAGE_SUFFIX} latest${IMAGE_SUFFIX}
+          fi
+
+          echo "✅ Successfully published image to GHCR!"
+          echo "📍 View at: https://github.com/DataDog/datadog-lambda-extension/pkgs/container/datadog-lambda-extension%2Fserverless-init"