Skip to main content

Cryptographic backends and algorithm agility

Luvion separates authorization meaning from the cryptographic backend used to produce an authorization output. Policy, intent, roles, participant set, key epoch, execution permission, and evidence remain stable even when a deployment uses a different reviewed signing backend.

Logical backend boundary

A backend must define key generation or import, session creation, partial authorization, partial verification, aggregation, final verification, key lifecycle, and transcript evidence. Each backend must document its own security model and operational assumptions.

Backend status

BackendRole in LuvionCurrent status
FROST Ed25519Current commercial threshold-authorization pathImplemented and demonstrated under controlled validation
Threshold ECDSACompatibility path for chain-native signing environmentsInterface and future integration path
Hardware-protected remote signerCompatibility path for HSM, KMS, TEE, or managed signing boundariesInterface and production requirement
External custody authorization backendCompatibility path for provider-controlled executionInterface defined; provider mapping and acceptance required
Threshold ML-DSA-65Post-quantum research and migration pathExperimental research using synthetic keys

ML-DSA boundary

FIPS 204 standardizes ML-DSA, not Luvion's threshold extension. The current 22-of-33 research path does not establish a production-secure threshold ML-DSA protocol. Distributed nonce handling, protected rejection evaluation, malicious security, identifiable abort, transcript safety, and external cryptographic review remain required before real keys or production assets can use that path.

Algorithm agility is a migration property, not a claim that every backend has equal maturity.