KTP-Conformance: Conformance Requirements¶
"Without conformance requirements, KTP implementations may be incompatible, insecure, or incomplete. This document provides the framework for a healthy ecosystem."
At a Glance¶
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Draft |
| Version | 0.1 |
| Dependencies | KTP-Core, KTP-Crypto |
| Required By | KTP-Audit, KTP-Governance |
The Problem¶
A protocol is only as good as its implementation. If Vendor A implements a "Trust Oracle" that ignores the Soul dimension, and Vendor B implements one that requires it, the system breaks. We need a standard way to measure "KTP Compliance."
The Solution: Conformance Levels¶
KTP defines three distinct levels of conformance, allowing for lightweight implementations in low-risk environments while mandating rigorous standards for critical infrastructure.
The 3 Levels¶
Minimum Viable Trust. Suitable for development, testing, and low-risk internal tools.
- Oracle: Single node (No mesh).
- Tensors: Min 3 dimensions (Heat, Momentum, +1).
- Enforcement: Binary Allow/Deny (No tiers).
- Audit: Basic logging (No crypto-chaining).
Production Ready. The baseline for most enterprise deployments.
- Oracle: Mesh (Min 3 nodes, 2-of-3 threshold).
- Tensors: All 6 weighted dimensions + Soul.
- Enforcement: Full 5-tier system.
- Audit: Tamper-evident cryptographic chaining.
Critical Infrastructure. Required for Deep Blue zones and Federation Anchors.
- Oracle: Geo-distributed mesh (Min 5 nodes).
- Tensors: Sub-second refresh; full sensor redundancy.
- Enforcement: Real-time consensus; hardware enforcement.
- Audit: WORM storage; formal verification.
Component Requirements¶
| Component | Level 1 (Basic) | Level 2 (Standard) | Level 3 (Full) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Oracle | Single Node | 3-Node Mesh | 5-Node Geo-Mesh |
| Signatures | ES256 / Ed25519 | Threshold (2-of-3) | Threshold (3-of-5) |
| Proof Lifetime | 60 seconds | 30 seconds | < 1 second |
| Flight Recorder | 30-day retention | 1-year + Chaining | 7-year + WORM |
| Federation | None | Supported | Anchor Capability |
Certification Process¶
- Self-Certification: Implementers run the open-source KTP Test Suite and publish the results. Valid for Level 1 only.
- Third-Party Certification: An accredited auditor verifies the implementation against the standard. Required for Level 2 and 3.
- Interoperability Testing: Proving that the implementation can federate with other certified KTP zones.
Test Suite Categories¶
- Unit Tests: Validating individual component logic (e.g., "Does the Oracle calculate \(R\) correctly?").
- Integration Tests: Verifying component interaction (e.g., "Does the PEP reject invalid proofs?").
- Stress Tests: Ensuring the system fails closed under load (e.g., "DDoS the Oracle").
- Federation Tests: Checking cross-zone trust propagation.
Related Specifications
- KTP-Core — The foundational protocol and the Zeroth Law (\(A \leq E\)).
- KTP-Audit — The Flight Recorder specification for immutable decision logging.
- KTP-Crypto — Cryptographic primitives and algorithms for trust proofs.
- KTP-Governance — The human-in-the-loop and algorithmic governance framework.
Official RFC Document¶
View Complete RFC Text (ktp-conformance.txt)
Kinetic Trust Protocol C. Perkins
Specification Draft NMCITRA
Version: 0.1 November 2025
Kinetic Trust Protocol (KTP) - Conformance Requirements
Levels, Testing, and Certification
Abstract
This document specifies conformance requirements for Kinetic Trust
Protocol implementations. It defines three conformance levels (Basic,
Standard, Full), test suite requirements, certification procedures,
and interoperability verification.
The specification enables implementers to validate their KTP
deployments and provides a framework for ecosystem interoperability.
Status of This Memo
This document is a draft specification developed by the New Mexico
Cyber Intelligence & Threat Response Alliance (NMCITRA). It has not
been submitted to the IETF and does not represent an Internet
Standard or consensus of any standards body.
Feedback and contributions are welcome at:
https://github.com/nmcitra/ktp-rfc
Copyright Notice
Copyright (c) 2025 Chris Perkins / NMCITRA. This work is licensed
under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1. Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2. Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3. Conformance Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.1. Level 1: Basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.2. Level 2: Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.3. Level 3: Full . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.4. Level Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4. Component Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1. Trust Oracle Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.2. Context Tensor Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.3. Policy Enforcement Point Requirements . . . . . . . . 17
4.4. Flight Recorder Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.5. Agent Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5. Protocol Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.1. Trust Proof Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.2. Zeroth Law Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.3. Tier Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.4. Cryptographic Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6. Test Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.1. Test Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.2. Unit Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
6.3. Integration Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
6.4. Interoperability Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
6.5. Stress Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
7. Certification Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
7.1. Self-Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
7.2. Third-Party Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
7.3. Certification Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
8. Interoperability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
8.1. Cross-Implementation Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
8.2. Federation Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
8.3. Version Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
9. Conformance Claims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
9.1. Claim Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
9.2. Claim Verification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
10. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
11. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Authors' Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
1. Introduction
1.1. Purpose
The Kinetic Trust Protocol comprises multiple components (Trust
Oracle, Context Tensor, PEPs, Flight Recorder) that must work
together correctly. Implementations from different vendors or
development teams must interoperate.
This document establishes:
- Conformance levels for different deployment scenarios
- Specific requirements for each KTP component
- Test suites for validating implementations
- Certification procedures for claiming conformance
- Interoperability requirements for federation
Without conformance requirements, KTP implementations may be
incompatible, insecure, or incomplete. This document provides the
framework for a healthy implementation ecosystem.
1.2. Scope
This document covers:
- Conformance levels (Basic, Standard, Full)
- Component-specific requirements
- Protocol requirements
- Test suite specifications
- Certification procedures
- Interoperability testing
This document does NOT cover:
- Specific implementation guidance (see future Implementation Guide)
- Performance benchmarks (deployment-specific)
- Security certification (SOC 2, FedRAMP, etc.)
- Domain-specific profiles (healthcare, finance, etc.)
2. Terminology
Conformance Level: A defined tier of KTP implementation
completeness, with specific requirements for each level.
Component: A distinct functional unit of KTP (Trust Oracle, Context
Tensor, PEP, Flight Recorder, Agent).
Test Case: A specific, reproducible test with defined inputs,
expected outputs, and pass/fail criteria.
Test Suite: A collection of test cases organized by category and
conformance level.
Certification: Formal attestation that an implementation meets
conformance requirements for a specified level.
Self-Certification: Certification based on self-executed test suite
with published results.
Third-Party Certification: Certification based on independent
testing by an authorized certification body.
Interoperability: The ability of different KTP implementations to
work together correctly.
3. Conformance Levels
KTP defines three conformance levels, each building on the previous.
3.1. Level 1: Basic
Basic conformance provides minimum viable KTP functionality suitable
for:
- Initial adoption and experimentation
- Low-risk environments
- Single-zone deployments
- Development and testing
3.1.1. Basic Requirements Summary
Trust Oracle:
- Single Oracle (no mesh required)
- Trust Score calculation (E_trust = E_base × (1 - R))
- Trust Proof generation and signing
- Minimum 3 Context Tensor dimensions
Context Tensor:
- Minimum 3 dimensions (Heat, Momentum, one other)
- Basic normalization (min/max scaling)
- Single risk domain (no Node/Neighborhood/Global separation)
Policy Enforcement Point:
- Zeroth Law enforcement (A <= E_trust)
- Trust Proof validation
- Binary allow/deny decisions
- Basic logging
Flight Recorder:
- Decision logging (allow/deny with context)
- 30-day minimum retention
- No immutability requirement
Agents:
- Unique identifier
- Trust Score tracking
- Basic trajectory (action log)
Protocol:
- Trust Proof JWT format
- ES256 or Ed25519 signatures
- 60-second maximum proof lifetime
3.1.2. Basic Limitations
Basic conformance does NOT require:
- Oracle mesh or threshold signatures
- Soul dimension or sovereignty constraints
- Trust tiers (just binary allow/deny)
- Federation capabilities
- Cryptographic chaining in Flight Recorder
- Proof of Resilience calculation
3.2. Level 2: Standard
Standard conformance provides production-ready KTP functionality
suitable for:
- Production deployments
- Multi-zone environments
- Regulatory compliance contexts
- Enterprise adoption
3.2.1. Standard Requirements Summary
Trust Oracle:
- Oracle mesh (minimum 3 nodes)
- Threshold signatures (2-of-3 minimum)
- Full Trust Score calculation
- Trust velocity tracking (dE/dt)
- All 6 weighted Context Tensor dimensions
Context Tensor:
- All 6 weighted dimensions (M, P, H, T, I, O)
- Soul dimension (S) support
- Risk domain separation (Node, Neighborhood, Global)
- Feed aggregation with configurable weights
Policy Enforcement Point:
- Zeroth Law enforcement
- Trust tier enforcement (all 5 tiers)
- Soul veto checking
- Graceful degradation on Oracle failure
- Detailed decision logging
Flight Recorder:
- Full Decision Geometry logging
- Cryptographic chaining (tamper-evident)
- 1-year minimum retention for decisions
- 7-year minimum retention for Soul vetoes
- Query interface for audit
Agents:
- Full trajectory chain
- Lineage tracking (Tethered, Divergent, Persistent)
- Proof of Resilience calculation
- Sponsorship support
Protocol:
- Extended Trust Proof format
- Threshold signatures
- 30-second maximum proof lifetime (normal operation)
- Federation protocol support
3.2.2. Standard Limitations
Standard conformance does NOT require:
- Deep Blue zone capability
- Full interplanetary/celestial support
- Real-time Oracle mesh consensus
- Formal verification of components
3.3. Level 3: Full
Full conformance provides comprehensive KTP functionality suitable
for:
- Critical infrastructure
- High-security environments
- Deep Blue zone operation
- Federation anchors
3.3.1. Full Requirements Summary
Trust Oracle:
- Geographically distributed mesh (minimum 5 nodes)
- Threshold signatures (3-of-5 minimum)
- Sub-second Trust Proof refresh
- Real-time consensus protocol
- Cryptographic audit trail
Context Tensor:
- All 7 dimensions (including Soul)
- Full Indigenous Data Sovereignty support
- Sub-second sensor refresh for critical dimensions
- Sensor health monitoring and failover
Policy Enforcement Point:
- Complete enforcement at all zone types
- < 15ms evaluation latency
- Zero-downtime deployment support
- Defense in depth (multiple PEP layers)
Flight Recorder:
- Full Decision Geometry with counterfactuals
- External anchoring (blockchain or equivalent)
- Multi-region replication
- Forensic reconstruction capability
- Complete audit trail for certification
Agents:
- Complete trajectory chain with verification
- Cross-zone portable identity
- Attestation chain support
- Celestial wayfinding support (if applicable)
Protocol:
- All Trust Proof formats
- All signature algorithms
- Federation protocol (full)
- Celestial protocol (extended proofs)
3.3.2. Full Additional Requirements
Full conformance additionally requires:
- Formal security review
- Penetration testing
- Incident response procedures
- Documented recovery procedures
- Third-party certification
3.4. Level Comparison
+---------------------------+--------+----------+------+
| Requirement | Basic | Standard | Full |
+---------------------------+--------+----------+------+
| Oracle mesh | - | 3+ nodes | 5+ |
| Threshold signatures | - | 2-of-3 | 3-of-5|
| Context dimensions | 3+ | 6+ | 7 |
| Soul dimension | - | Yes | Yes |
| Risk domains | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Trust tiers | - | 5 | 5 |
| Flight Recorder chaining | - | Yes | Yes |
| External anchoring | - | - | Yes |
| Federation support | - | Yes | Yes |
| Celestial support | - | - | Yes |
| Proof lifetime | 60s | 30s | 10s |
| PEP latency | - | < 50ms | < 15ms|
| Decision retention | 30d | 1y | 7y |
| Third-party cert required | No | No | Yes |
+---------------------------+--------+----------+------+
Implementations MAY claim partial compliance (e.g., "Standard with
Full Flight Recorder") but MUST clearly document deviations.
4. Component Requirements
4.1. Trust Oracle Requirements
4.1.1. Basic Oracle Requirements
MUST:
- Accept Context Tensor input
- Calculate Risk Factor: R = Σ(w_i × D_i)
- Calculate E_trust: E_trust = E_base × (1 - R)
- Generate signed Trust Proofs
- Support ES256 or Ed25519 signatures
- Expose health check endpoint
- Log all Trust Proof issuances
SHOULD:
- Support configurable dimension weights
- Cache recent Trust Proofs
- Provide metrics endpoint
MAY:
- Support single-node operation
- Use simplified E_base (static assignment)
4.1.2. Standard Oracle Requirements
All Basic requirements, plus:
MUST:
- Operate as mesh (minimum 3 nodes)
- Implement threshold signatures (2-of-3)
- Support all 6 weighted dimensions
- Support Soul dimension (veto)
- Calculate and track dE/dt (Trust velocity)
- Support agent lineage tracking
- Calculate Proof of Resilience
- Implement graceful degradation
- Support federation protocol
SHOULD:
- Geographic distribution of nodes
- Automatic failover
- Load balancing across nodes
4.1.3. Full Oracle Requirements
All Standard requirements, plus:
MUST:
- Operate as 5+ node mesh
- Implement threshold signatures (3-of-5)
- Sub-second proof refresh capability
- Real-time consensus protocol
- Geographic distribution across 3+ regions
- Complete audit trail
- Support celestial protocol (extended proofs)
- External audit anchor support
SHOULD:
- Formal verification of consensus logic
- Hardware security module (HSM) for keys
4.2. Context Tensor Requirements
4.2.1. Basic Tensor Requirements
MUST:
- Support minimum 3 dimensions
- Heat (H) - required
- Momentum (P) - required
- One additional dimension
- Normalize values to 0-1 range
- Report sensor health status
- Handle sensor failure gracefully
SHOULD:
- Support configurable normalization
- Support multiple feeds per dimension
- Refresh within 60 seconds
4.2.2. Standard Tensor Requirements
All Basic requirements, plus:
MUST:
- Support all 6 weighted dimensions (M, P, H, T, I, O)
- Support Soul dimension (S) with veto logic
- Implement 3 risk domains (Node, Neighborhood, Global)
- Weighted aggregation across domains
- Feed-level configuration
- Sensor validation and quality metrics
- Refresh within 30 seconds
SHOULD:
- Support custom dimension extension
- Anomaly detection on sensor data
- Historical trend tracking
4.2.3. Full Tensor Requirements
All Standard requirements, plus:
MUST:
- Full Indigenous Data Sovereignty support
- TK Label integration
- OCAP/CARE protocol support
- Sub-second refresh for critical dimensions
- Sensor redundancy (no single point of failure)
- Automatic failover between feeds
- Complete sensor audit trail
SHOULD:
- Formal specification of normalization
- Verified sensor calibration
4.3. Policy Enforcement Point Requirements
4.3.1. Basic PEP Requirements
MUST:
- Intercept all protected requests
- Validate Trust Proof signature
- Check Trust Proof expiration
- Enforce Zeroth Law (A <= E_trust)
- Return appropriate HTTP status codes
- Log all decisions
SHOULD:
- Cache Trust Proof validation
- Support multiple signature algorithms
- Provide bypass for health checks
4.3.2. Standard PEP Requirements
All Basic requirements, plus:
MUST:
- Enforce Trust Tiers (all 5)
- Check Soul constraint (S = 0)
- Support action risk classification
- Graceful degradation on Oracle failure
- Report decisions to Flight Recorder
- Include full context in denial responses
- Support multiple deployment patterns
SHOULD:
- Evaluation latency < 50ms
- Support async Flight Recorder logging
- Circuit breaker for Oracle calls
4.3.3. Full PEP Requirements
All Standard requirements, plus:
MUST:
- Evaluation latency < 15ms
- Zero-downtime deployment
- Defense in depth (multiple layers)
- Complete decision context to Flight Recorder
- Support all zone types
- Cryptographic binding to session
SHOULD:
- Formal verification of enforcement logic
- Hardware-accelerated cryptography
4.4. Flight Recorder Requirements
4.4.1. Basic Recorder Requirements
MUST:
- Log all authorization decisions
- Include: timestamp, agent, action, outcome, Trust Score
- Minimum 30-day retention
- Query by time range and agent
SHOULD:
- Include environmental context
- Support export format (JSON)
4.4.2. Standard Recorder Requirements
All Basic requirements, plus:
MUST:
- Full Decision Geometry
- Cryptographic chaining (SHA-256)
- Tamper detection
- 1-year decision retention
- 7-year Soul veto retention
- Multi-tier storage (hot/warm/cold)
- Query by: time, agent, outcome, environment
- Compliance export (SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA)
SHOULD:
- Counterfactual analysis
- Aggregate analytics
- Anomaly detection
4.4.3. Full Recorder Requirements
All Standard requirements, plus:
MUST:
- External anchoring (hourly minimum)
- Multi-region replication
- Complete forensic reconstruction
- Third-party audit access
- 7-year retention for all record types
- Chain verification on query
SHOULD:
- Real-time chain verification
- Formal proof of immutability
4.5. Agent Requirements
4.5.1. Basic Agent Requirements
MUST:
- Unique agent identifier
- Obtain and present Trust Proof
- Refresh Trust Proof before expiration
- Handle denial gracefully
SHOULD:
- Cache Trust Proof appropriately
- Log own decisions locally
4.5.2. Standard Agent Requirements
All Basic requirements, plus:
MUST:
- Maintain trajectory chain
- Support lineage (Tethered, Divergent, Persistent)
- Handle tier transitions
- Support delegation (if human or delegating)
- Implement graceful degradation
SHOULD:
- Track own dE/dt
- Anticipate tier transitions
- Support sponsorship protocol
4.5.3. Full Agent Requirements
All Standard requirements, plus:
MUST:
- Complete trajectory verification
- Cross-zone identity portability
- Attestation chain support
- Extended proof support (celestial)
SHOULD:
- Whakapapa chain maintenance
- Predictive trust awareness
5. Protocol Requirements
5.1. Trust Proof Format
5.1.1. Basic Trust Proof
Format: JWT (RFC 7519)
Required claims:
{
"iss": "oracle-identifier",
"sub": "agent-identifier",
"iat": 1732547000,
"exp": 1732547060,
"ktp": {
"e_base": 72,
"e_trust": 68,
"r": 0.056
}
}
Signature: ES256 or Ed25519
5.1.2. Standard Trust Proof
All Basic claims, plus:
{
"ktp": {
"e_base": 72,
"e_trust": 68,
"r": 0.056,
"de_dt": -0.5,
"tier": "analyst",
"soul": 0,
"sigma": 3.2,
"trajectory_hash": "sha256:abc...",
"context": {
"m": 0.45,
"p": 0.32,
"h": 0.28,
"t": 0.15,
"i": 0.52,
"o": 0.10
}
}
}
Signature: Threshold (2-of-3)
5.1.3. Full Trust Proof
All Standard claims, plus:
{
"ktp": {
...
"lineage": {
"type": "persistent",
"generation": 8,
"sponsor": null
},
"resilience": {
"score": 0.87,
"events": 12,
"ledger_hash": "sha256:def..."
},
"attestations": [
{
"issuer": "zone:blue-primary",
"timestamp": "2025-11-24T00:00:00Z",
"type": "behavior",
"signature": "sig:..."
}
]
}
}
Signature: Threshold (3-of-5) with key rotation support
5.2. Zeroth Law Enforcement
5.2.1. Enforcement Requirements (All Levels)
The Zeroth Law (A <= E_trust) MUST be enforced as follows:
1. Extract E_trust from Trust Proof
2. Determine action risk (A) from classification
3. Compare A to E_trust
4. If A > E_trust: DENY (Silent Veto)
5. If A <= E_trust: ALLOW (proceed to other checks)
Implementation MUST NOT:
- Allow override of Zeroth Law
- Skip Zeroth Law check under any condition
- Modify A or E_trust to force allow
Implementation MUST:
- Log all Zeroth Law evaluations
- Include A and E_trust in denial response
- Provide remediation guidance in denial
5.2.2. Soul Constraint (Standard and Full)
Before Zeroth Law evaluation:
1. Check Soul constraint (S) from Trust Proof
2. If S = 1: DENY (Soul Veto), skip Zeroth Law
3. If S = 0: Proceed to Zeroth Law
Soul Veto MUST:
- Take precedence over all other checks
- Be logged with special retention (7 years)
- Include constraint source in denial
5.3. Tier Transitions
5.3.1. Tier Boundaries (Standard and Full)
Implementations MUST use these boundaries:
+-------------+-----------------+
| Tier | E_trust Range |
+-------------+-----------------+
| God Mode | >= 95 |
| Operator | >= 85, < 95 |
| Analyst | >= 70, < 85 |
| Observer | >= 50, < 70 |
| Hibernation | < 50 |
+-------------+-----------------+
5.3.2. Transition Handling
On tier transition:
MUST:
- Update agent's effective tier immediately
- Log transition to Flight Recorder
- Notify agent of transition (if possible)
SHOULD:
- Apply hysteresis (±2 points) to prevent oscillation
- Provide transition warning before demotion
- Allow grace period for in-flight operations
5.4. Cryptographic Requirements
5.4.1. Signature Algorithms
Basic Level:
- ES256 (ECDSA with P-256 and SHA-256) - REQUIRED
- Ed25519 - RECOMMENDED
Standard Level:
- ES256 - REQUIRED
- Ed25519 - REQUIRED
- Threshold signatures - REQUIRED
Full Level:
- All Standard algorithms
- ES384 (ECDSA with P-384) - RECOMMENDED
- Key rotation support - REQUIRED
5.4.2. Hash Functions
All Levels:
- SHA-256 - REQUIRED for chaining and integrity
- SHA-384 - RECOMMENDED for Full level
5.4.3. Key Management
Basic Level:
- Secure key storage
- Manual key rotation supported
Standard Level:
- HSM recommended for Oracle keys
- Automated key rotation
- Key versioning in proofs
Full Level:
- HSM required for Oracle keys
- Automated key rotation with zero downtime
- Complete key audit trail
6. Test Suite
6.1. Test Categories
The KTP test suite comprises four categories:
1. Unit Tests: Individual component functionality
2. Integration Tests: Component interaction
3. Interoperability Tests: Cross-implementation compatibility
4. Stress Tests: Performance under load
Each category has tests for each conformance level.
6.2. Unit Tests
6.2.1. Trust Oracle Unit Tests
Basic:
- TO-B-001: Risk Factor calculation accuracy
- TO-B-002: E_trust calculation accuracy
- TO-B-003: Trust Proof generation
- TO-B-004: Signature validation
- TO-B-005: Proof expiration enforcement
Standard:
- TO-S-001: Threshold signature generation
- TO-S-002: Trust velocity calculation
- TO-S-003: Proof of Resilience calculation
- TO-S-004: Soul constraint handling
- TO-S-005: Mesh consensus (simulated)
Full:
- TO-F-001: Sub-second proof refresh
- TO-F-002: Real-time consensus
- TO-F-003: Geographic distribution handling
- TO-F-004: Extended proof generation (celestial)
6.2.2. Context Tensor Unit Tests
Basic:
- CT-B-001: Dimension normalization
- CT-B-002: Risk Factor aggregation
- CT-B-003: Sensor failure handling
- CT-B-004: Configuration loading
Standard:
- CT-S-001: All 7 dimension support
- CT-S-002: Risk domain aggregation
- CT-S-003: Feed weighting
- CT-S-004: Soul veto logic
- CT-S-005: Sensor validation
Full:
- CT-F-001: TK Label integration
- CT-F-002: Sub-second refresh
- CT-F-003: Sensor redundancy failover
6.2.3. PEP Unit Tests
Basic:
- PEP-B-001: Trust Proof validation
- PEP-B-002: Zeroth Law enforcement
- PEP-B-003: Denial response format
- PEP-B-004: Logging completeness
Standard:
- PEP-S-001: Tier enforcement
- PEP-S-002: Soul veto enforcement
- PEP-S-003: Action risk classification
- PEP-S-004: Graceful degradation
- PEP-S-005: Decision Geometry reporting
Full:
- PEP-F-001: Latency < 15ms
- PEP-F-002: Zero-downtime update
- PEP-F-003: Defense in depth
6.2.4. Flight Recorder Unit Tests
Basic:
- FR-B-001: Decision logging
- FR-B-002: Retention enforcement
- FR-B-003: Query by time range
- FR-B-004: Query by agent
Standard:
- FR-S-001: Cryptographic chaining
- FR-S-002: Tamper detection
- FR-S-003: Decision Geometry completeness
- FR-S-004: Multi-tier storage
- FR-S-005: Compliance export
Full:
- FR-F-001: External anchoring
- FR-F-002: Multi-region replication
- FR-F-003: Forensic reconstruction
- FR-F-004: Chain verification performance
6.3. Integration Tests
6.3.1. End-to-End Flow Tests
Basic:
- INT-B-001: Agent obtains proof and accesses resource
- INT-B-002: Agent denied due to A > E_trust
- INT-B-003: Environmental change affects E_trust
Standard:
- INT-S-001: Tier transition on E_trust change
- INT-S-002: Soul veto propagation
- INT-S-003: Oracle mesh failover
- INT-S-004: Federation handshake
- INT-S-005: Complete audit trail verification
Full:
- INT-F-001: Cross-zone agent migration
- INT-F-002: Celestial transit simulation
- INT-F-003: Complete disaster recovery
6.3.2. Failure Mode Tests
All Levels:
- FAIL-001: Oracle unavailable
- FAIL-002: Sensor failure
- FAIL-003: PEP failure
- FAIL-004: Flight Recorder failure
- FAIL-005: Network partition
Standard/Full:
- FAIL-S-001: Oracle mesh node failure
- FAIL-S-002: Threshold signature node loss
- FAIL-S-003: Federation partner unavailable
6.4. Interoperability Tests
6.4.1. Trust Proof Exchange
- INTEROP-001: Proof generated by Impl A, validated by Impl B
- INTEROP-002: Threshold proof with mixed implementations
- INTEROP-003: Proof with all optional claims
6.4.2. Federation Protocol
- INTEROP-010: Zone discovery across implementations
- INTEROP-011: Cross-zone attestation
- INTEROP-012: Trust factor negotiation
6.4.3. Flight Recorder
- INTEROP-020: Decision record format compatibility
- INTEROP-021: Chain verification across implementations
- INTEROP-022: Export format compatibility
6.5. Stress Tests
6.5.1. Load Tests
- STRESS-001: 1000 proofs/second sustained
- STRESS-002: 10000 PEP evaluations/second
- STRESS-003: 1000 concurrent agents
- STRESS-004: Flight Recorder write throughput
6.5.2. Chaos Tests
- CHAOS-001: Random Oracle node failure
- CHAOS-002: Random sensor failure
- CHAOS-003: Network latency injection
- CHAOS-004: Clock skew injection
7. Certification Process
7.1. Self-Certification
Self-certification is available for Basic and Standard levels.
7.1.1. Self-Certification Process
1. Execute complete test suite for target level
2. Document all test results
3. Document any deviations with justification
4. Publish results to public repository
5. Submit certification claim
7.1.2. Self-Certification Requirements
MUST:
- Pass 100% of required tests for level
- Document test execution environment
- Make test results publicly available
- Maintain certification with each release
MAY:
- Skip optional tests (clearly documented)
- Use custom test execution framework (if equivalent)
7.2. Third-Party Certification
Third-party certification is required for Full level and available
for all levels.
7.2.1. Certification Bodies
Authorized certification bodies must:
- Demonstrate KTP expertise
- Maintain independence from implementers
- Follow documented certification procedures
- Publish certification criteria
- Maintain certification records
7.2.2. Third-Party Process
1. Implementer submits for certification
2. Certification body reviews documentation
3. Certification body executes test suite
4. Certification body performs security review (Full only)
5. Certification body issues certificate or findings
6. Certificate published to registry
7.3. Certification Maintenance
7.3.1. Recertification Triggers
Recertification required when:
- Major version release
- Security vulnerability discovered and patched
- Significant architecture change
- Conformance level upgrade
- Annual renewal (Full level)
7.3.2. Certification Revocation
Certification may be revoked for:
- Discovered non-compliance
- Security incident demonstrating inadequacy
- Failure to address reported issues
- False certification claims
8. Interoperability
8.1. Cross-Implementation Testing
Interoperability between implementations is essential for federation
and ecosystem health.
8.1.1. Interoperability Events
Regular interoperability testing events:
- Quarterly virtual plugfests
- Annual in-person interop event
- Continuous integration testing (automated)
8.1.2. Interoperability Matrix
Maintain public matrix showing tested implementation pairs and
compatibility status.
8.2. Federation Compatibility
For federation to work, implementations must agree on:
- Zone discovery protocol
- Trust Proof format
- Attestation format
- Federation agreement structure
Interoperability tests verify cross-implementation federation.
8.3. Version Compatibility
Implementations SHOULD support:
- Current specification version
- Previous major version (18-month deprecation)
Version negotiation required for federation.
9. Conformance Claims
9.1. Claim Format
Conformance claims MUST follow this format:
"[Product Name] [Version] conforms to KTP [Level] per
[KTP-CONFORMANCE] [Version], [self-certified/certified by
[Certification Body]] on [Date]."
Example:
"AcmeTrust v2.1 conforms to KTP Standard per KTP-CONFORMANCE v0.1,
self-certified on 2025-11-25."
9.2. Claim Verification
Claims can be verified by:
- Reviewing published test results (self-certification)
- Checking certification registry (third-party)
- Executing interoperability tests
10. Security Considerations
10.1. Test Suite Security
The test suite itself must be secure:
- Test data must not contain real credentials
- Test environments must be isolated
- Test results must be integrity-protected
10.2. Certification Security
Certification process must be secure:
- Certification bodies must be vetted
- Certificates must be tamper-evident
- Revocation must be prompt and public
10.3. Implementation Security
Conformance does not guarantee security:
- Conformance tests verify protocol correctness
- Security review is separate (required for Full)
- Deployment security is implementer responsibility
11. References
11.1. Normative References
[KTP-CORE]
Perkins, C., "Kinetic Trust Protocol - Core
Specification", NMCITRA, November 2025.
[KTP-SENSORS]
Perkins, C., "Kinetic Trust Protocol - Context Tensor
Sensor Specification", NMCITRA, November 2025.
[KTP-ENFORCE]
Perkins, C., "Kinetic Trust Protocol - Enforcement Layer
Specification", NMCITRA, November 2025.
[RFC7519] Jones, M., Bradley, J., and N. Sakimura, "JSON Web Token
(JWT)", RFC 7519, May 2015.
11.2. Informative References
[RFC8174] Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC
2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, May 2017.
Authors' Addresses
Chris Perkins
New Mexico Cyber Intelligence & Threat Response Alliance (NMCITRA)
Email: cperkins@nmcitra.org