zkProof-Bound Execution & Identity

Overview

NØN-OS enforces cryptographic execution guarantees through a tightly integrated zkProof-Bound Execution layer. Every executable capsule, regardless of its origin, must produce a Zero-Knowledge Proof (zkProof) attesting to:

Execution Integrity — The capsule binary and runtime state exactly match the cryptographically signed and audited version at launch.

Operator Identity — The capsule is being executed by a node whose identity is provably bound to its ed25519 local node key.

Policy Compliance — The execution abides by mesh-enforced runtime policies without revealing sensitive operational parameters.

This system eliminates the trust gap between distributed operators and network consumers by enabling verifiable computation without raw data exposure.

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Identity Layer I Node Key Hierarchy

At first boot, NØN-OS generates an ed25519 root node keypair:

Stored locally in a secure, hardware-backed enclave (if available) or an encrypted keystore.

Never transmitted in raw form across the mesh.

Serves as the Operator Root Identity for all capsule executions.

Derived keys are generated via BIP32-like hierarchical deterministic derivation, ensuring:

Per-capsule ephemeral keys.

Non-linkable execution identities while maintaining verifiability via a Merkle chain anchored at the root key.

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Onion-Embedded Identity

The public portion of the node key is:

An onion service descriptor is integrated for anonymous addressing, similar to Tor. Instead, we utilize the robust Anyone.io Network, which operates on a DePin model infrastructure.

Bound into all zkProof verification receipts, making the node cryptographically addressable across the mesh without revealing location metadata.

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zkProof Integration ---> Circuit Design

The zero-knowledge circuit used by NØN-OS capsules is composed of three verification gates:

1. Hash Gate

   Validates that the SHA3-512 digest of the capsule binary matches the signed manifest from the repository.

   Prevents code substitution attacks.

2. State Gate

   Validates runtime environmental constraints (CPU flags, memory isolation state, syscall sandboxing).

   Ensures that execution matches the policy defined in the capsule manifest.

3. Identity Gate

   Verifies that the executing node holds the private key corresponding to the public identity in the manifest.

   Implemented via a zk-Schnorr proof over the ed25519 key.

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Proof Lifecycle

1. Capsule Launch

   Operator requests execution.

   Runtime loads capsule binary, manifest, and execution policy.

2. Proof Generation

   Capsule runtime runs the zk circuit inside a WASM-based prover environment (arkworks or halo2 backend).

   Proof is generated entirely locally.

3. Proof Embedding

   The zkProof is embedded into a Capsule Receipt along with:

   • ^{_{Execution timestamp (UTC)}}

   • ^{_{Operator onion identity}}

   • ^{_{Capsule hash}}

   • ^{_{Proof verification key reference}}

4. Broadcast

   Receipt is gossiped over the mesh.rs layer.

   Optionally anchored on-chain for external auditability.

5. Verification

   Any mesh participant can verify proof validity using only the receipt and the public verification key.

   No sensitive runtime or operator metadata is exposed.

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Selective Disclosure

Capsules may carry selective disclosure policies, enabling operators to:

Reveal proof of execution without revealing binary hashes (useful for proprietary capsules).

Disclose execution metadata only to authorized peers.

Permit delayed disclosure for time-sensitive workloads.

This is achieved by layering zk-STARK based commitments inside the capsule manifest, which are selectively opened based on mesh-level trust policies.

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Security Guarantees

Non-Repudiation — Every proof is cryptographically bound to the node key and capsule manifest.

Tamper Resistance — Any change in binary, runtime state, or operator key invalidates the proof.

Anonymity Preservation — Onion service identity prevents IP correlation.

Sybil Resistance — Node keys are mesh-attested over time, with trust scores maintained in trust.rs.

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Integration Points in NØNOS

Module	Role in zkProof Execution
capsule_runtime.rs	Loads capsule, executes prover, packages proof.
verify.rs	Validates proofs from receipts.
mesh.rs	Broadcasts receipts, routes verification requests across the mesh.
onion.rs	Handles Anyone-based identity layer for anonymous operator addressing.
trust.rs	Updates operator trust scores based on proof submission history.

Future Extensions

zkML Capsules — Allow execution proofs for machine learning inference without leaking model weights.

Post-Quantum Proofs — Upgrade circuits to support PQ-safe signature schemes (Dilithium, Falcon) for future-proofing.

On-Chain Proof Market — Incentivize operators to submit proofs to decentralized verifiers for trustless settlement.