Fortifying the Agentic Web: A Unified Zero-Trust Architecture Against Logic-layer Threats

2025-08-17

AI Summary

This paper addresses logical-layer attacks—particularly Logic-Programmed Control Injection (LPCI)—in Agentic Web environments, proposing the first unified zero-trust security architecture tailored for agent-centric networks. Methodologically, it establishes a decentralized identity foundation built on Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs); designs a protocol-agnostic agent naming service and a multi-layered trust fabric; and introduces three novel components: a trust-adaptive runtime environment, a causal-chain audit mechanism, and behavior-proof-based dynamic identity authentication. The primary contribution is a formally verified security guarantee: within a rigorous model, the architecture achieves provable defense against LPCI with bounded success probability. Empirical evaluation demonstrates substantial improvements in security, resilience, and trustworthiness of agent ecosystems, enabling fine-grained, real-time trust decisions under highly dynamic and heterogeneous agent deployments.

Technology Category

• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Agent Architectures
• Multiagent Systems: Agent/AI Theories and Architectures
• Philosophy and Ethics of AI: Safety, Robustness & Trustworthiness

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Data transparency and provenance
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Agentic search

Abstract

This paper presents a Unified Security Architecture that fortifies the Agentic Web through a Zero-Trust IAM framework. This architecture is built on a foundation of rich, verifiable agent identities using Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs), with discovery managed by a protocol-agnostic Agent Name Service (ANS). Security is operationalized through a multi-layered Trust Fabric which introduces significant innovations, including Trust-Adaptive Runtime Environments (TARE), Causal Chain Auditing, and Dynamic Identity with Behavioral Attestation. By explicitly linking the LPCI threat to these enhanced architectural countermeasures within a formal security model, we propose a comprehensive and forward-looking blueprint for a secure, resilient, and trustworthy agentic ecosystem. Our formal analysis demonstrates that the proposed architecture provides provable security guarantees against LPCI attacks with bounded probability of success.

Problem

• Securing agentic web against logic-layer threats using zero-trust architecture
• Establishing verifiable agent identities through decentralized identifiers and credentials
• Providing provable security guarantees against LPCI attacks with bounded success probability

Innovation

• Zero-Trust IAM framework with verifiable identities
• Multi-layered Trust Fabric with adaptive runtime
• Causal Chain Auditing and behavioral attestation