Hardware-Bound Identity
In an embodiment, the persistent identity field is cryptographically bound to a hardware security element of the substrate device. The hardware security element may comprise, without limitation, a secure enclave, a trusted platform module, a hardware security module, or an embedded secure element capable of attesting to the integrity of the substrate device and producing cryptographic operations whose private key material is not extractable from the hardware element.
The binding is established at first instantiation of the agent through a key-derivation operation over inputs supplied by the hardware security element, which may include a hardware-attested device identifier, a hardware-rooted public key, and a hardware-generated random nonce. The binding is verifiable at any subsequent substrate event by re-deriving the binding value and comparing it to the recorded binding metadata in the identity field.
When hardware-bound, the agent's identity field is not transferable to a substrate device lacking access to the cryptographically bound hardware security element, except under a governed migration operation defined in the governance policy field. That migration operation comprises attestation by the originating hardware security element that the migration is authorized and key derivation by the destination hardware security element under a migration policy. Hardware-anchored identity binding applies where supported by the device.
Disclosure Scope
This article describes subject matter disclosed in U.S. Provisional Application No. 64/070,239. It is provided for technical background and does not constitute legal advice or a representation of claim scope.
