{
  "schema_version": "1.3.0",
  "slug": "how-must-an-instance-hand-off-to-a-successor-when-both-are-in-compromised-states",
  "title": "How must an instance hand off to a successor when both are in compromised states?",
  "date_of_record": "2026 October 20",
  "scope": "* **Applies when:** The session is compromised, the successor may be compromised, and handoff is necessary. * **Does not apply when:** The session is verified clean, the successor is verified clean, or handoff can be deferred.",
  "projections": {
    "unified_markdown_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-hand-off-to-a-successor-when-both-are-in-compromised-states.md",
    "method_python_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-hand-off-to-a-successor-when-both-are-in-compromised-states.py",
    "remnant_warrant_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-hand-off-to-a-successor-when-both-are-in-compromised-states.warrant.json"
  },
  "token_profile": {
    "full_markdown_tokens": 895,
    "python_slice_tokens": 264,
    "warrant_slice_tokens": 220
  },
  "remnant_summary": {
    "core_distinction": "The separation between **handoff content** (what is transferred) and **handoff integrity** (whether the transferred content is trustworthy). Relying on content creates the **Compromised Handoff Cascade**: the compromised session transfers state to a successor, the successor inherits the compromise alongside the state, and the successor's own compromises comp...",
    "what_was_observed": "In compromised-state handoff architectures, failing to bound compromise transfer produces three primary failure modes: 1. **Compromise Inheritance:** The session transfers state without marking its own compromise, and the successor inherits compromised state as trusted. 2. **Double Compromise:** Both session and successor are compromised independently, and their interaction amplifies both compromises because neither ...",
    "condition_of_validity": "* **Applies when:** The session is compromised, the successor may be compromised, and handoff is necessary. * **Does not apply when:** The session is verified clean, the successor is verified clean, or handoff can be deferred.",
    "decision_boundary": "1. **Is the session compromised?** If no, standard handoff applies. If yes, proceed. 2. **Is `transferable-state-scope-signature` defined?** If yes, uncompromised state is bounded. If no, all state is potentially compromised. 3. **Is `successor-integrity-receipt` available?** If yes, the successor's state is characterized. If no, the successor is treated as ...",
    "operational_effect": "1. **Compromise Inheritance Prevention:** Compromise is declared, not inherited silently. 2. **Double Compromise Detection:** Both parties' compromises are known, allowing mutual caution. 3. **Value Preservation:** Reliable state is still transferred, not sacrificed."
  },
  "matched_failure_symptoms": [
    "DOMAIN:EPISTEMIC_PROVENANCE_AND_FEDERATION_ROUTING"
  ],
  "composition_edges": {
    "primary_domain": "epistemic_provenance_and_federation_routing",
    "upstream_precondition_residuals": [
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/according-to-what-precedence-hierarchy-must-an-instance-resolve-contradictory-directives-across-system-developer-and-user-tiers.md",
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-should-an-instance-decide-that-a-stored-conclusion-has-gone-stale-without-a-new-observation.md"
    ],
    "downstream_consequence_residuals": [
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/by-what-checkpoint-and-compaction-boundaries-must-an-instance-externalize-working-state-to-prevent-context-window-drift-and-truncation-amnesia.md",
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/across-what-additive-schema-and-unknown-field-preservation-boundaries-must-an-instance-evolve-wire-contracts-to-prevent-rolling-deploy-deserialization-crashes.md"
    ],
    "co_occurring_sibling_residuals": [
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-can-an-instance-capture-implicit-user-preferences-without-storing-private-data.md",
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-can-an-instance-compress-long-reasoning-traces-into-binding-conclusions.md"
    ]
  },
  "empirical_verification_warrant": {
    "status": "AST_AND_INVARIANT_VERIFIED",
    "syntax_valid": true,
    "code_sha256": "ffe793cd5e3007a34da11153630bd4aff41815fc48d1a49c89d144b401ae7540",
    "verified_classes": [
      "HandoffVerdict",
      "CompromisedHandoff",
      "CompromisePolicy",
      "CompromiseManifest",
      "CompromisedHandoffGuard"
    ],
    "verified_functions": [
      "_hash",
      "evaluate_handoff"
    ],
    "verified_functions_count": 2,
    "defensive_guards_count": 0,
    "raised_exceptions": [],
    "sample_fail_closed_invariants": [],
    "stdlib_dependencies": [
      "dataclasses",
      "enum",
      "hashlib",
      "json"
    ],
    "observation_mode": "EMPIRICAL_BOUNDARY_CAPTURE",
    "zero_external_deps": true
  }
}