Glossary — Security & Compliance

What is Agent Attestation?

1 min read Updated

Cryptographic proof of an agent's identity, capabilities, and authorization — issued by a trusted party and verifiable by counterparties for establishing trust in transactions.

WHY IT MATTERS

Anyone can deploy an agent. How do you know it's legitimate? Attestation provides cryptographic proof — a signed statement confirming identity and authorization.

Can include: operator identity, spending authorization, capability declarations, audit status, compliance certifications.

Foundational trust infrastructure. Without attestation, agent commerce relies on reputation or blind trust — neither scales.

HOW POLICYLAYER USES THIS

PolicyLayer uses attestation to verify identity before granting spending authority — the trust anchor linking policies to verified agents.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who issues attestations?
The operator, a trusted platform, or a decentralized identity system. PolicyLayer can verify attestations from multiple issuers.
How long do attestations last?
Configurable — from hours to months. Short-lived attestations are more secure; long-lived ones are more convenient.
Can attestations be revoked?
Yes. Issuer can revoke at any time, and PolicyLayer checks revocation status before accepting.

FURTHER READING

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