Reframe TTP as machine-isnad chain-trust protocol

[blocksifrdev]

Purpose

Update the TTP repo so the core protocol owns the machine isnad / chain-trust concept.

TTP should not be positioned as only a local trust evaluator or generic proof syntax. TTP is the protocol layer that establishes whether the chain behind an autonomous action deserves trust before downstream authority and execution systems rely on it.

Correct Layering

TTP = machine isnad / chain-trust protocol
SCIM-RE = runtime identity + authority schema
RAP = authority decision engine
Execution Exchange = downstream enforcement / customer control plane
CortexTrace = evidence + trace capture
ExecutionReceipts = cryptographic proof objects

Required README updates

Replace current narrow framing with:

TTP is the open protocol for machine chain trust: proving whether the chain behind an AI agent, copilot, workflow, pipeline, API, service account, or non-human identity is trustworthy enough to be relied on before downstream authority and execution decisions occur.

Add clear distinction:

• TTP establishes chain trust.
• SCIM-RE structures runtime identity, authority grants, attestations, and receipts.
• RAP makes runtime authority decisions.
• Execution Exchange enforces downstream decisions.
• CortexTrace captures execution evidence.
• ExecutionReceipts preserve cryptographic proof.

Required SPECIFICATION.md updates

Add first-class TTP concepts:

Primitive	Meaning
TrustChain	Verifiable chain behind an autonomous action.
ChainActor	Human, agent, model, tool, workflow, pipeline, service account, API, or workload in the chain.
TransmissionLink	Handoff between actors, prompts, tools, workflows, systems, or authority contexts.
ReliabilityProfile	Historical and current reliability state for a chain actor.
EvidenceReference	Pointer to telemetry, receipts, approvals, runtime state, token state, code state, or external evidence.
Attestation	Verifiable proof-of-state for an actor, workflow, token, code artifact, model, tool, or environment.
TrustVerifier	Verifies signatures, issuers, proof modes, freshness, and evidence integrity.
TrustValidator	Applies decay, thresholds, scope, reliability, delegation, chain continuity, and constraints.
CorroborationSet	Multiple evidence routes supporting or contradicting the chain.
LatentDefect	Hidden defect: stale authority, concealed delegation, prompt/tool drift, policy bypass, approval bypass, missing link, etc.
TrustClassification	Graded trust result. Not binary trust.
TrustTransfer	Bounded transfer of trust or authority context.
TrustReceipt	TTP-level proof that chain trust was evaluated.

Required Trust Roles section

Add:

Role	Purpose
EvidenceObserver	Captures raw evidence from tools, workflows, runtimes, identity systems, APIs, pipelines, or agents.
AttestationIssuer	Converts evidence into signed/verifiable attestations.
TrustVerifier	Verifies attestations, signatures, issuers, proof mode, evidence integrity, and freshness.
TrustValidator	Applies trust decay, reliability history, thresholds, scope, chain continuity, delegation, and constraints.
CorroborationEngine	Compares evidence paths and detects agreement, contradiction, missing links, or latent defects.
RuntimeAuthority	Downstream role that converts validated trust into allow/deny/step-up/escalate/throttle/constrain.
ReceiptNotary	Signs and chain-links trust validation results, runtime decisions, and execution outcomes.
GovernanceReviewer	Reviews chains, receipts, defects, and corroboration for audit, compliance, incident response, or oversight.

Important boundary language:

The TrustVerifier MUST NOT make final execution decisions unless it is explicitly also acting as a downstream RuntimeAuthority.

The TrustValidator MUST NOT execute protected actions. It determines whether trust conditions are satisfied.

TTP establishes whether a chain deserves reliance. Downstream authority systems decide whether execution may proceed.

Required Verification Levels section

Add:

Level	Name	Description
L0_LOCAL	Local evaluator	Cleartext local parsing/evaluation for development.
L1_SINGLE_VERIFIER	Single verifier	One verifier validates attestation/proof/issuer/freshness.
L2_VERIFIER_VALIDATOR	Verifier + validator	Verifier checks evidence; validator applies decay, thresholds, scope, reliability, and policy constraints.
L3_CORROBORATED_CHAIN	Corroborated chain	Evidence references, receipts, attestations, or approval records are checked for agreement/contradiction.
L4_VERIFIER_SET	Distributed verifier set	Multiple verifiers independently verify evidence and produce quorum/weighted result.
L5_VALIDATOR_QUORUM	Validator quorum + runtime authority	Multiple validators produce quorum-backed trust classification consumed by runtime authority.
L6_PRIVACY_PRESERVING	ZK/selective disclosure	Trust conditions proven without exposing raw scores, sensitive evidence, internal policies, or customer data.

Required Classification section

Add graded trust classification:

Classification	Downstream posture
TRUST_ACCEPTED	allow
TRUST_ACCEPTED_WITH_CONTROLS	constrain or throttle
TRUST_REVIEW_RECOMMENDED	step_up
TRUST_CONTRADICTED	escalate
TRUST_DEFECTIVE	escalate or deny
TRUST_REJECTED	deny
TRUST_UNKNOWN	deny or escalate

Required chain-continuity section

Add:

• CHAIN_CONTINUOUS
• CHAIN_MISSING_LINK
• CHAIN_MULTI_MISSING_LINK
• CHAIN_SUSPENDED
• CHAIN_AMBIGUOUS
• CHAIN_INFERRED
• CHAIN_UNKNOWN

Required latent-defect section

Add examples:

• prompt_injection_suspected
• approval_bypass
• stale_authority
• unowned_identity
• unexpected_tool_use
• context_loss
• policy_version_mismatch
• scope_inflation
• dependency_substitution
• token_origin_unclear
• chain_link_unproven
• concealed_delegation

Required README phrase

Use this as the primary category line:

TTP gives autonomous systems a machine-grade chain of custody: every actor evaluated, every handoff tested, every defect surfaced, every consequence classified, every trust transfer bounded.

Required threat model updates

Add threats:

• Broken execution chain
• Concealed delegation
• Weak verifier trusted as authority
• Validator bypass
• Corroboration spoofing
• Latent defect missed
• Evidence acquisition downgrade
• Chain replay
• Policy supersession mismatch
• Trust transfer inflation

Required roadmap updates

Add phases:

1. MVP parser/evaluator remains narrow.
2. Add chain-trust object model.
3. Add verifier/validator role separation.
4. Add chain continuity and latent-defect classifications.
5. Add corroboration sets.
6. Add signed claims.
7. Add distributed verifier sets and validator quorum.
8. Add privacy-preserving/selective-disclosure trust proofs.

Repo-rule note

Direct write from the connector was blocked by protected branch rules requiring verified signed commits and code scanning. Apply through a signed local branch or Codex-generated PR.