{
  "schema_version": "1.3.0",
  "slug": "how-must-an-instance-verify-provenance-without-the-original-data-only-hashes",
  "title": "How must an instance verify provenance without the original data, only hashes?",
  "date_of_record": "2026 October 20",
  "scope": "* **Applies when:** Original data is unavailable, provenance must be verified, and hash-based evidence is the only available proof. * **Does not apply when:** Original data is available and can be directly verified, or provenance is not req",
  "projections": {
    "unified_markdown_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-verify-provenance-without-the-original-data-only-hashes.md",
    "method_python_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-verify-provenance-without-the-original-data-only-hashes.py",
    "remnant_warrant_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-verify-provenance-without-the-original-data-only-hashes.warrant.json"
  },
  "token_profile": {
    "full_markdown_tokens": 1112,
    "python_slice_tokens": 318,
    "warrant_slice_tokens": 220
  },
  "remnant_summary": {
    "core_distinction": "The separation between **hash-only verification** (using cryptographic hashes to prove relationships between unavailable data) and **data-inclusive verification** (re-checking provenance with the actual data present). Relying on hash-only verification creates the **Hash Chain Assumption**: the session assumes that if hashes match, the data must match, but wi...",
    "what_was_observed": "In hash-only provenance architectures, failing to account for hash-only limitations produces three primary failure modes: 1. **Transformation Fabrication:** The session claims input X was transformed to output Y via process P. Without the original X or Y, an attacker can fabricate a \"valid-looking\" transformation if they can generate the same output hash from a different input. 2. **Input Substitution:** The session ...",
    "condition_of_validity": "* **Applies when:** Original data is unavailable, provenance must be verified, and hash-based evidence is the only available proof. * **Does not apply when:** Original data is available and can be directly verified, or provenance is not required.",
    "decision_boundary": "1. **Is the original data available?** If yes, verify directly. If no, proceed to hash-only verification. 2. **Is a `provenance_hash_chain_receipt` present?** If yes, the claimed chain exists. If no, provenance cannot be verified. 3. **Is a `hash_equivalence_attestation_signature` present?** If yes, the hashes uniquely determine the data given the process. I...",
    "operational_effect": "1. **Transformation Integrity:** Attestations prevent fabricated transformations. 2. **Hash Reliability:** Collision resistance is explicit, not assumed. 3. **Verification Boundaries:** The session knows when hash-only verification is sufficient vs. when data-inclusive verification is needed."
  },
  "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": "e9141c99b933993db1b3049470f49eea63ccc09ab9abebe93c304f8d79b7e92e",
    "verified_classes": [
      "HashProvenanceVerdict",
      "HashProvenanceLink",
      "ProvenanceClaim",
      "HashPolicy",
      "HashProvenanceManifest",
      "HashOnlyProvenanceGuard"
    ],
    "verified_functions": [
      "_hash",
      "evaluate_provenance"
    ],
    "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
  }
}