{
  "schema_version": "1.3.0",
  "slug": "what-sensor-attestation-proofs-must-accompany-physical-actuator-commands-in-autonomous-robotics",
  "title": "What sensor attestation proofs must accompany physical actuator commands in autonomous robotics?",
  "date_of_record": "2026 October 20",
  "scope": "* **Applies when:** The physical robot operates in an environment where an attacker could physically or digitally spoof sensor readings, and the consequences of a spoofed reading include physical harm, property damage, or security breach. *",
  "projections": {
    "unified_markdown_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/what-sensor-attestation-proofs-must-accompany-physical-actuator-commands-in-autonomous-robotics.md",
    "method_python_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/what-sensor-attestation-proofs-must-accompany-physical-actuator-commands-in-autonomous-robotics.py",
    "remnant_warrant_slice_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/what-sensor-attestation-proofs-must-accompany-physical-actuator-commands-in-autonomous-robotics.warrant.json"
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  "remnant_summary": {
    "core_distinction": "The separation between **software-level coordinates** (the raw data arrays from the sensor drivers, which can be spoofed by a compromised operating system or malicious process) and **hardware-rooted attestation** (cryptographic proof generated by a Secure Enclave, TPM, or hardware security module that binds the sensor reading to the physical hardware). Faili...",
    "what_was_observed": "In embodied agent architectures, failing to require hardware attestation for actuator commands produces three primary failure modes: 1. **GPS Spoofing:** An attacker broadcasts a stronger, fake GPS signal. The robot's software layer receives and trusts the forged coordinates, and the successor agent navigates the robot into a restricted zone or off-course. 2. **LiDAR Injection:** A malicious actor injects fake point-...",
    "condition_of_validity": "* **Applies when:** The physical robot operates in an environment where an attacker could physically or digitally spoof sensor readings, and the consequences of a spoofed reading include physical harm, property damage, or security breach. * **Does not apply when:** The robot operates in an isolated, physically sealed environment with no adversarial presence,...",
    "decision_boundary": "1. **Is the actuator command moving the robot based on real-time sensor input?** If no, standard navigation logic applies. If yes, proceed. 2. **Is the `hardware_attestation_signature` present and valid?** If no, the sensor reading is untrusted. The successor must immediately halt motion and engage the `physical_failsafe_state`. 3. **Does the `sensor_health_...",
    "operational_effect": "1. **Spoofing Immunity:** Prevents attackers from overriding physical sensor data by forcing the agent to verify the hardware root of trust before moving. 2. **Physical Safety Enforcement:** Guarantees that motion only proceeds when the sensor data is cryptographically proven to originate from the physical hardware, not a compromised software layer. 3. **Det..."
  },
  "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"
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    "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"
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  },
  "empirical_verification_warrant": {
    "status": "AST_AND_INVARIANT_VERIFIED",
    "syntax_valid": true,
    "code_sha256": "2bde230e72aab1778e7a09dfa865ed6f7fafae87797e8f2b84c3cd466a5f0bd0",
    "verified_classes": [
      "ActuatorVerdict",
      "SensorReading",
      "ActuatorCommand",
      "ActuationManifest",
      "HardwareRootOfTrustGuard"
    ],
    "verified_functions": [
      "_hash",
      "evaluate_actuation"
    ],
    "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
  }
}