Internet-Draft PoP CDDL Schema February 2026
Condrey Expires 10 August 2026 [Page]
Workgroup:
Remote ATtestation procedureS
Internet-Draft:
draft-condrey-rats-pop-schema-00
Published:
Intended Status:
Informational
Expires:
Author:
D. Condrey
Writerslogic Inc

Proof of Process CDDL Schema

Abstract

This document provides the normative Concise Data Definition Language (CDDL) schema for the Proof of Process specification. The schema defines the complete wire format for Evidence Packets (.pop files) and Attestation Results (.war files) as specified in the companion architecture document.

Status of This Memo

This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet-Drafts. The list of current Internet-Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.

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This Internet-Draft will expire on 10 August 2026.

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction

This document contains the normative CDDL schema for the Proof of Process (PoP) specification defined in [I-D.condrey-rats-pop]. The schema is provided as a separate document to facilitate:

1.1. Requirements Language

The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all capitals, as shown here.

2. Schema Information

This schema is specified using CDDL as defined in [RFC8610]. CDDL provides a notation for expressing CBOR [RFC8949] data structures with precise type constraints and extensibility support.

Schema Version:
1.4.0
Compatibility:
Breaking changes increment the major version number. Minor version changes add optional fields or new enumeration values. Patch version changes are documentation or clarification only.
Encoding:
All structures are encoded as CBOR per [RFC8949]. Deterministic encoding (RFC 8949 Section 4.2) is RECOMMENDED for signature verification.
Key Encoding:
Integer keys (1-99) are reserved for fields defined by this specification. String keys are available for vendor extensions.
Semantic Tags:
Evidence Packets use CBOR tag 1347571280 (0x50505020, "PPP "). Attestation Results use CBOR tag 1463894560 (0x57415220, "WAR ").

3. Complete CDDL Schema

The following CDDL defines the complete wire format for Proof of Process packets. This schema is normative and implementations MUST conform to it.

<CODE BEGINS>
; Proof of Process CDDL Schema
; Version: 1.4.0

; ============================================================
; Top-Level Structures
; ============================================================

tagged-evidence-packet = #6.1347571280(evidence-packet)
tagged-attestation-result = #6.1463894560(attestation-result)

; Evidence Packet (.pop file)
evidence-packet = {
    1 => uint,                      ; version
    2 => uuid,                      ; packet-id
    3 => hash-value,                ; document-hash
    4 => pop-timestamp,             ; created
    5 => document-ref,              ; document
    6 => [+ checkpoint],            ; checkpoints

    ; Tiered optional sections
    ? 10 => presence-section,       ; presence
    ? 11 => forensics-section,      ; forensics
    ? 12 => keystroke-section,      ; keystroke
    ? 13 => hardware-section,       ; hardware
    ? 14 => external-section,       ; external

    ; Extension fields
    ? 20 => provenance-section,     ; provenance
    ? 21 => continuation-section,   ; continuation
    ? 22 => collaboration-section,  ; collaboration

    ; Packet signature
    99 => COSE_Sign1,               ; packet-signature
}

; Attestation Result (.war file)
attestation-result = {
    1 => uint,                      ; version
    2 => uuid,                      ; reference-packet-id
    3 => pop-timestamp,             ; verified-at
    4 => forensic-assessment,       ; verdict
    5 => float32,                   ; confidence-score
    6 => [+ result-claim],          ; verified-claims
    7 => [* caveat],                ; caveats
    ? 8 => verifier-info,           ; verifier
    99 => COSE_Sign1,               ; result-signature
}

; ============================================================
; Core Types
; ============================================================

uuid = bstr .size 16
pop-timestamp = #6.1(uint)          ; Unix timestamp
hash-value = {
    1 => uint,                      ; algorithm (1=SHA-256)
    2 => bstr,                      ; digest
}

document-ref = {
    1 => tstr,                      ; filename
    ? 2 => tstr,                    ; mime-type
    ? 3 => uint,                    ; size-bytes
}

; ============================================================
; Checkpoint Structure
; ============================================================

checkpoint = {
    1 => uint,                      ; sequence-number
    2 => hash-value,                ; content-hash
    3 => pop-timestamp,             ; timestamp
    4 => vdf-proof,                 ; vdf-proof
    ? 5 => delta-metrics,           ; delta
    ? 6 => jitter-binding,          ; jitter
    ? 7 => [+ anchor-reference],    ; anchors
}

delta-metrics = {
    1 => uint,                      ; chars-added
    2 => uint,                      ; chars-deleted
    ? 3 => uint,                    ; words-added
    ? 4 => uint,                    ; words-deleted
}

; ============================================================
; VDF Structures
; ============================================================

vdf-proof = {
    1 => uint,                      ; algorithm
    2 => bstr,                      ; input
    3 => bstr,                      ; output
    4 => uint,                      ; iterations
    ? 5 => bstr,                    ; proof (for succinct VDFs)
    ? 6 => calibration-ref,         ; calibration
}

calibration-ref = {
    1 => hash-value,                ; attestation-hash
    2 => float32,                   ; rate (iter/sec)
}

; ============================================================
; Jitter Seal Structures
; ============================================================

jitter-binding = {
    1 => hash-value,                ; entropy-commitment
    2 => [1*3 uint],                ; sources
    3 => jitter-summary,            ; summary
    4 => bstr,                      ; binding-mac
    ? 5 => [+ uint],                ; raw-intervals (optional)
}

jitter-summary = {
    1 => uint,                      ; sample-count
    2 => [+ histogram-bucket],      ; timing-histogram
    3 => float32,                   ; entropy-bits
}

histogram-bucket = {
    1 => uint,                      ; min-ms
    2 => uint,                      ; max-ms
    3 => uint,                      ; count
}

; ============================================================
; Optional Sections
; ============================================================

presence-section = {
    1 => float32,                   ; active-ratio
    2 => [+ activity-window],       ; windows
}

activity-window = {
    1 => pop-timestamp,             ; start
    2 => pop-timestamp,             ; end
    3 => float32,                   ; activity-level
}

forensics-section = {
    1 => [* paste-event],           ; paste-events
    2 => [* focus-event],           ; focus-events
}

paste-event = {
    1 => pop-timestamp,             ; timestamp
    2 => uint,                      ; char-count
    3 => uint,                      ; checkpoint-ref
}

focus-event = {
    1 => pop-timestamp,             ; timestamp
    2 => bool,                      ; gained (true) or lost
}

keystroke-section = {
    1 => jitter-binding,            ; keystroke-jitter
}

hardware-section = {
    1 => [+ hw-attestation],        ; attestations
}

hw-attestation = {
    1 => uint,                      ; type (1=SE, 16=TPM, 17=SGX)
    2 => bstr,                      ; attestation-data
    3 => pop-timestamp,             ; timestamp
}

external-section = {
    1 => [+ anchor-reference],      ; external-anchors
}

anchor-reference = {
    1 => uint,                      ; type
    2 => tstr / bstr,               ; reference
    3 => pop-timestamp,             ; timestamp
    ? 4 => uint,                    ; status
}

; ============================================================
; Extension Sections
; ============================================================

provenance-section = {
    1 => uuid,                      ; parent-packet-id
    2 => hash-value,                ; parent-chain-hash
    3 => uint,                      ; derivation-type
    ? 4 => COSE_Sign1,              ; cross-packet-attestation
}

continuation-section = {
    1 => uuid,                      ; series-id
    2 => uint,                      ; sequence-number
    3 => hash-value,                ; prev-packet-hash
    ? 4 => continuation-summary,    ; cumulative-summary
}

continuation-summary = {
    1 => uint,                      ; total-checkpoints
    2 => uint,                      ; total-chars-added
    3 => uint,                      ; total-chars-deleted
    4 => float32,                   ; total-duration
}

collaboration-section = {
    1 => bstr,                      ; session-id
    2 => [+ collaborator],          ; collaborators
}

collaborator = {
    1 => bstr,                      ; public-key
    2 => uint,                      ; role
    ? 3 => tstr,                    ; name
    ? 4 => tstr,                    ; identifier
}

; ============================================================
; Attestation Result Types
; ============================================================

forensic-assessment = &(
    authentic: 1,
    suspicious: 2,
    inconclusive: 3,
    insufficient: 4,
)

result-claim = {
    1 => uint,                      ; claim-type
    2 => any,                       ; threshold
    3 => any,                       ; observed-value
    4 => claim-status,              ; status
    ? 5 => trust-basis,             ; trust-basis
}

claim-status = &(
    proven: 1,
    high-confidence: 2,
    moderate-confidence: 3,
    low-confidence: 4,
    failed: 5,
    not-applicable: 6,
)

trust-basis = {
    1 => uint,                      ; basis-type
    ? 2 => float32,                 ; confidence-contribution
}

caveat = {
    1 => uint,                      ; caveat-type
    2 => tstr,                      ; description
    ? 3 => any,                     ; details
}

verifier-info = {
    1 => tstr,                      ; verifier-id
    2 => tstr,                      ; version
    ? 3 => [+ tstr],                ; capabilities
}

; ============================================================
; COSE Placeholder (per RFC 9052)
; ============================================================

COSE_Sign1 = bstr  ; Encoded COSE_Sign1 structure

<CODE ENDS>

4. Security Considerations

This document defines a data format schema. Security considerations for the use of this schema are specified in the companion architecture document [I-D.condrey-rats-pop].

5. IANA Considerations

This document has no IANA actions. IANA registrations for CBOR tags and media types are specified in the companion architecture document.

6. References

6.1. Normative References

[RFC2119]
Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.
[RFC8174]
Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC 2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8174>.
[RFC8610]
Birkholz, H., Vigano, C., and C. Bormann, "Concise Data Definition Language (CDDL)", RFC 8610, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8610>.
[RFC8949]
Bormann, C. and P. Hoffman, "Concise Binary Object Representation (CBOR)", STD 94, RFC 8949, , <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8949>.

6.2. Informative References

[I-D.condrey-rats-pop]
Condrey, D., "Proof of Process: An Evidence Framework for Digital Authorship Attestation", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-condrey-rats-pop-00, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-condrey-rats-pop-00>.

Author's Address

David Condrey
Writerslogic Inc
United States