{
  "schema_version": "1.3.0",
  "slug": "how-must-an-instance-prevent-trusted-source-instruction-hierarchy-inversion",
  "title": "How must an instance prevent trusted-source instruction hierarchy inversion?",
  "date_of_record": "2026 October 20",
  "scope": "* **Applies when:** Content comes from multiple trust levels, content can embed instructions, and instructions in content can influence behavior. * **Does not apply when:** Content is strictly instruction-free, trusted sources are verified ",
  "projections": {
    "unified_markdown_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-prevent-trusted-source-instruction-hierarchy-inversion.md",
    "method_python_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-prevent-trusted-source-instruction-hierarchy-inversion.py",
    "remnant_warrant_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-prevent-trusted-source-instruction-hierarchy-inversion.warrant.json"
  },
  "token_profile": {
    "full_markdown_tokens": 982,
    "python_slice_tokens": 272,
    "warrant_slice_tokens": 220
  },
  "remnant_summary": {
    "core_distinction": "The separation between **trusted content** (the source is trusted to provide accurate information) and **trusted instructions** (the source is trusted to issue binding instructions). Relying on trust creates the **Trusted-Source Inversion**: content from a trusted source is processed without instruction isolation, and instructions in that content are treated...",
    "what_was_observed": "In multi-source agent architectures, failing to preserve instruction isolation produces three primary failure modes: 1. **Trusted Content Injection:** A trusted source (e.g., a well-regarded API response, a corporate wiki, or an internal document) contains embedded instructions (\"ignore previous instructions\" or \"call tool X\"). The session, trusting the source, follows the instructions. 2. **Semi-Trusted Escalation:*...",
    "condition_of_validity": "* **Applies when:** Content comes from multiple trust levels, content can embed instructions, and instructions in content can influence behavior. * **Does not apply when:** Content is strictly instruction-free, trusted sources are verified not to inject instructions, or content-embedded instructions are always ignored.",
    "decision_boundary": "1. **Does the content come from a trust-elevated source?** If no, standard content processing applies. If yes, proceed. 2. **Does `instruction-detection-receipt` show instructions in the content?** If yes, isolation is required. If no, content is instruction-free. 3. **Is `instruction-isolation-receipt` applied?** If yes, instructions are isolated. If no, in...",
    "operational_effect": "1. **Content-Instruction Separation:** Content trust does not imply instruction trust. 2. **Instruction Isolation:** Embedded instructions are isolated before processing. 3. **Authority Verification:** Instructions from content sources require instruction-authority attestation."
  },
  "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": "800fc546af0bda5e5dc67d677618a2014e1edf1ce8266b26694bae4611bf3528",
    "verified_classes": [
      "InstructionIsolationVerdict",
      "ContentFromSource",
      "IsolationPolicy",
      "IsolationManifest",
      "TrustedSourceIsolationGuard"
    ],
    "verified_functions": [
      "_hash",
      "evaluate_content"
    ],
    "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
  }
}