---
id: NET-WP-0020
type: workplan
title: "OpenBao Unseal Custody Models and SSH Automation Path"
domain: infotech
repo: net-kingdom
status: finished
owner: codex
topic_slug: net-kingdom
created: "2026-06-17"
updated: "2026-07-02"
state_hub_workstream_id: "d6338ac9-797d-4009-8203-4b8dd39010af"
---

# NET-WP-0020 — OpenBao Unseal Custody Models and SSH Automation Path

**Scope:** Framework for three OpenBao init/unseal custody models; automation-first
development path; console decision points; downstream hooks for SSH engine and
host CA automation on greenfield 3-node bootstrap.

**Strategy:** Start with `sops-held-automation` for fast unattended test cycles;
add `attended-ceremony` and `auto-unseal-transit` with blocking gates as
production trust increases.

---

## Tasks

### T1 — Custody model canon and console gates

```task
id: NET-WP-0020-T01
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "7040f347-d54a-42ba-a14f-5b0a7e691786"
```

- [x] `docs/openbao-unseal-custody-models.md`
- [x] Console: list + select commands; gates block planned models
- [x] `smooth-bootstrap-guide.md` Step 5 update
- [x] Makefile targets

### T2 — SOPS-held init/unseal automation hooks

```task
id: NET-WP-0020-T02
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "65407eb1-9d89-4158-aed5-4987badd83fc"
```

- [x] SOPS-held init/unseal automation: `sso-mfa/bootstrap/openbao-init-unseal.sh`
  (`make openbao-init-unseal` / `openbao-init-unseal-dry-run`)
- [x] Non-secret evidence flags: `openbao_initialized`, `openbao_post_unseal_verified`
  (emitted on the script's `EVIDENCE` JSON line)
- [x] Integrate with `make openbao-configure-initial` post-unseal
  (`OPENBAO_RUN_CONFIGURE_INITIAL=1` chains it; default prints the handoff hint)
- [x] Wire the helper as an optional phase inside `creds-bootstrap-agent.sh`
  (Phase 7b, reviewed and approved by Bernd 2026-07-02: runs only when the
  `openbao` namespace exists, skips when already verified, sets the two
  `creds-state.yaml` flags, encrypts + commits new init material, and a
  custody-gate refusal warns without aborting the SSO/MFA bootstrap —
  dry-run/skip/refusal paths harness-tested)
- [x] Greenfield live proof: full init→unseal→verify path proven 2026-07-02
  against a genuinely uninitialized local OpenBao 2.5.5 (kubectl-exec shim,
  script logic unmodified) — see
  `history/2026-07-02-openbao-greenfield-init-unseal-proof.md`. The proof
  caught and fixed a real bug: `bao operator unseal -` does not read stdin;
  now `bao write sys/unseal key=-` (shares still never in argv/logs). Restart/
  reseal replay path proven too. The first 3-node rebuild slate re-runs the
  same script via Phase 7b.

**2026-07-02 (later):** Bernd reviewed the helper design (five safety
properties incl. the root-token-in-bundle caveat of the sops-held model) and
approved the Phase 7b wiring as proposed. Applied, `bash -n` clean, all three
conditional paths verified by harness. Pre-existing note: the agent's Phase 0
cannot dry-run on machines without the age key — unrelated to this change.
Remaining T02 item is only the greenfield live proof.

**2026-07-02:** Helper implemented and smoke-tested: dry-run against the live
cluster passed the custody gate (`sops-held-automation` selected) and read
`initialized=true sealed=false`; negative tests proved refusal for unselected
and attended-ceremony models. Init material is written only into
`secrets/openbao/` for age custody; unseal shares travel stdin-to-stdin and
never appear in argv or logs.

### T3 — Attended ceremony automation profile

```task
id: NET-WP-0020-T03
status: done
priority: medium
state_hub_task_id: "34f3d979-a040-49ca-bfcb-35cf17473a06"
```

- [x] Implement `attended-ceremony` selection path (runbooks + evidence validators)
- [x] Production profile blocks `sops-held-automation` default

**2026-07-02:** Model selectable in the console; runbook at
`docs/openbao-attended-ceremony-runbook.md`; non-secret ceremony record
template + `validate-openbao-ceremony-record` validator (refuses secret
markers/placeholders). New `deployment_profile` metadata (`lab`/`production`,
`select-deployment-profile`): production blocks `sops-held-automation` in
selection, status gates, and `openbao-init-unseal.sh`. Console refuse-live-init
boundary unchanged. Covered by console test suite (14 passing) + CLI smoke.

### T4 — Auto-unseal transit profile

```task
id: NET-WP-0020-T04
status: done
priority: medium
state_hub_task_id: "54ab6505-c13b-4f63-8c94-07dd202de90a"
```

- [x] `railiance-platform` Helm seal stanza for transit/KMS
- [x] Console gate + evidence for `auto-unseal-transit`

**2026-07-02:** Commented-out `seal "transit"` stanza (disabled by default;
token via `extraSecretEnvironmentVars`, never Git) in
`railiance-platform/helm/openbao-values.yaml` plus an "Auto-Unseal via Transit
Seal" section in `railiance-platform/docs/openbao.md` (enable → `-migrate` →
pod-restart proof). Console: model selectable; init gate stays blocked until
`openbao_transit_seal_configured` and `openbao_auto_unseal_verified` are set.
Live transit/KMS provisioning is future ops work on the HA rebuild, gated by
that evidence.

### T5 — SSH engine + host CA automation (cross-repo)

```task
id: NET-WP-0020-T05
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "399e82ca-6551-4020-8db5-c78076e75cfc"
```

- [x] `railiance-platform`: `openbao-configure-ssh` declarative script + Makefile targets
- [x] `railiance-infra`: `bootstrap-ssh-ca` role + `ssh_principals.yaml` inventory
- [x] Live apply: OpenBao SSH engine + roles + `warden-sign` on Railiance (2026-06-18)
- [x] Live apply: `bootstrap-ssh-ca` on CoulombCore + Railiance01
- [x] Close `ops-warden` WP-0008 T2 verification gate

---

## See also

- `history/2026-06-17-openbao-ssh-custody-and-bootstrap-assessment.md` — state + concepts (read before T5)
- `ops-warden/workplans/WARDEN-WP-0008-production-ssh-path-and-stewardship-closeout.md`
- `railiance-platform/docs/openbao.md`