diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yaml b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
index 5780287..9927eb6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -52,6 +52,14 @@ jobs:
           git clone --recursive https://github.com/calyptia/ctraces.git
         shell: bash
 
+      - name: Check out the branch (1.8.3 version of Git)
+        env:
+          BRANCH_NAME: ${{ github.head_ref }}
+        run: |
+          git checkout "$BRANCH_NAME"
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: ctraces
+
       - name: Run compilation
         run: |
           cmake3 -DCTR_TESTS=on -DCTR_DEV=on .
@@ -59,6 +67,28 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         working-directory: ctraces
 
+  build-debian:
+    name: Debian Buster build to confirm no issues once used downstream
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    container: debian:buster
+    steps:
+      - name: Set up base image dependencies
+        run: |
+          apt-get update
+          apt-get install -y build-essential cmake make git
+        shell: bash
+
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: true
+
+      - name: Run compilation
+        run: |
+          cmake -DCTR_TESTS=On .
+          make all
+          CTEST_OUTPUT_ON_FAILURE=1 make test
+        shell: bash
+
   build-unix-arm64:
     name: Build sources on arm64 for ${{ matrix.os }} - ${{ matrix.compiler }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
@@ -78,7 +108,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: uraimo/run-on-arch-action@v2.8.1
         with:
           arch: aarch64
-          distro: ubuntu20.04
+          distro: ubuntu_latest
           run: |
             apt-get update && \
             apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
@@ -144,3 +174,29 @@ jobs:
           # dependencies_debian: ''
           cmakeflags: '-DCTR_TESTS=On -DCMT_DEV=on .'
           build_command: make all
+
+  # this job provides the single required status for PRs to be merged into main.
+  # instead of updating the protected branch status in github, developers can update the needs section below
+  # to require additional status checks to protect main.
+  # the job uses the alls-green action to get around the github issue that treats a "skipped" required status check
+  # as passed. github will skip a job if an upstream needed job fails, which would defeat the purpose of this required
+  # status check.
+  test-required-checks-complete:
+    # note: this step always has to run in order to check if the dependent jobs passed. by default github skips running a job
+    # if the needed jobs upstream failed.
+    if: always()
+    needs:
+      - build-windows
+      - build-centos
+      - build-debian
+      - build-unix-arm64
+      - build-unix-amd64
+      - build-analysis-tests
+    name: Required checks complete
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions: {}
+    steps:
+    - name: Decide whether the needed jobs succeeded or failed
+      uses: re-actors/alls-green@release/v1
+      with:
+        jobs: ${{ toJSON(needs) }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/packages.yaml b/.github/workflows/packages.yaml
index b520e54..78d4017 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/packages.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/packages.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
         name: Build the ${{matrix.format}} packages
         with:
           arch: aarch64
-          distro: ubuntu20.04
+          distro: ubuntu_latest
           run: |
             apt-get update && \
             apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
             cmake \
             file \
             rpm \
-            make 
+            make
             cmake .
             echo ${{ matrix.format }} | awk '{print toupper($0)}' | xargs -I{} cpack -G {}
 
@@ -69,11 +69,39 @@ jobs:
           path: |
             ./*.${{matrix.format}}
 
+  build-macos-packages-arm64:
+    name: build macOS Apple Silicon packages
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: true
+      matrix:
+        config:
+          - format: productbuild
+            arch: apple
+            ext: pkg
+    runs-on: macos-14
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: true
+
+      - name: Build the ${{matrix.config.format}} packages
+        run:  |
+          cmake . -DCPACK_GENERATOR=${{ matrix.config.format }}
+          echo ${{ matrix.config.format }} | xargs -I{} cpack -G {}
+
+      - name: Store the master package artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ matrix.config.format }}-${{matrix.config.arch}}
+          path: |
+            ./*-${{matrix.config.arch}}.${{matrix.config.ext}}
+
   release:
     name: Create release and upload packages
     needs:
       - build-distro-packages-amd64
       - build-distro-packages-arm64
+      - build-macos-packages-arm64
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
       contents: write
diff --git a/CODEOWNERS b/CODEOWNERS
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c2d84e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CODEOWNERS
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Global Owners
+# -------------
+*                        @edsiper @leonardo-albertovich
+
+# CI
+# -------------------------
+/.github/                @niedbalski @patrick-stephens @celalettin1286