The ladder only advances on cntr_low; any other verdict stops the search.
A stop on a non-por_ok verdict after at least one cntr_low keeps the value
anyway - the earlier rejection proves it is above the card's counter - but
the response reports success: false with counter_saved, the verdict and the
saved counter ("something is likely wrong with the security settings");
the PWA shows it amber. Without a prior cntr_low nothing is saved, and a
missing PoR stays an error. actual_response_sms_submit/ussd count as
accepted.
Docs: docs/api.md, repo AGENTS. sw cache simple-v377.
Tests: 672 Python + 798 frontend green.
catarrh
3c5882d16d