# OpenBao Unseal Custody Models

Date: 2026-06-17 (updated 2026-07-02)  
Status: all three models implemented — automation path proven greenfield;
production models gated by deployment profile and evidence

NetKingdom bootstrap must support **three** OpenBao init/unseal custody models.
Development starts with **maximum automation** for fast test cycles, then adds
human custody gates as production trust increases.

This is separate from **king custody mode** (`temporary-single-king`,
`two-of-three-planned`, `two-of-three-ready`) which governs who holds platform
recovery authority. Unseal custody models govern **how init/unseal executes**
during bootstrap and rebuild.

---

## Models

| Model ID | Label | Custody strength | Automation | Status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `sops-held-automation` | SOPS-held unseal | Lab / fast iteration | High | **Implemented** (console + creds agent path; greenfield-proven 2026-07-02) |
| `attended-ceremony` | Attended ceremony | Production | Low | **Implemented** (runbook + ceremony-record validator) |
| `auto-unseal-transit` | Auto-unseal (transit/KMS) | Production HA | High | **Implemented** (Helm seal stanza prepared; gate blocked until seal configured + verified) |

### `sops-held-automation` (default for greenfield dev)

- Init/unseal material lives in **SOPS/age** custody bundle (not Git plaintext).
- Applied by `sso-mfa/bootstrap/openbao-init-unseal.sh` (`make
  openbao-init-unseal`, NET-WP-0020 T2) after cluster + OpenBao pod exist. The
  helper enforces the console custody-model gate, initializes only when
  uninitialized (init JSON written straight into the age-custody secrets dir),
  replays unseal shares stdin-to-stdin, verifies post-unseal state, and emits
  non-secret `openbao_initialized` / `openbao_post_unseal_verified` evidence.
  Set `OPENBAO_RUN_CONFIGURE_INITIAL=1` to chain `railiance-platform: make
  openbao-configure-initial`.
- Enables **unattended rebuild test cycles** on a 3-node slate.
- **Not** production trust posture — use to prove S1→S3→SSH engine automation,
  then graduate to stronger models.

### `attended-ceremony` (production)

- Human-attended `bao operator init`, out-of-band unseal share escrow, root token
  retirement — runbook: `docs/openbao-attended-ceremony-runbook.md`
  (command detail in `railiance-platform/docs/openbao.md`).
- Matches first successful NetKingdom bootstrap (NET-WP-0015–0017).
- Console keeps the **refuse-live-init** boundary; the ceremony is evidenced by
  a non-secret record validated with `validate-openbao-ceremony-record`
  (`make security-bootstrap-validate-openbao-ceremony-record`).

### `auto-unseal-transit` (production HA)

- OpenBao seal configuration uses **transit** or cloud KMS auto-unseal.
- Pod restart without manual unseal threshold ceremony.
- Seal stanza prepared (disabled by default) in
  `railiance-platform/helm/openbao-values.yaml`; enable + migrate per
  `railiance-platform/docs/openbao.md` "Auto-Unseal via Transit Seal".
- Console init gate stays **blocked** until `openbao_transit_seal_configured`
  and `openbao_auto_unseal_verified` are set in the non-secret metadata.

---

## Deployment profile

The console metadata carries a `deployment_profile` (`lab` default,
`production`). The **production profile blocks `sops-held-automation`** — its
SOPS bundle holds root token and unseal shares together, which is lab posture
only. Selection, status gates, and `openbao-init-unseal.sh` all enforce the
block:

```bash
make security-bootstrap-select-deployment-profile PROFILE=production
```

Each model is selectable in the **security bootstrap console**; gates express
what evidence is still missing for the selected model.

---

## Console integration

```bash
# List models and implementation status
python3 tools/security-bootstrap-console/security_bootstrap_console.py \
  openbao-unseal-custody-models

# Select active model (only implemented models succeed)
python3 tools/security-bootstrap-console/security_bootstrap_console.py \
  select-openbao-unseal-custody-model \
  --model sops-held-automation \
  --metadata .local/security-bootstrap.json

# Status shows gate: "OpenBao unseal custody model"
make security-bootstrap-console   # or: ... status --metadata .local/...
```

Metadata field: `openbao_unseal_custody_model`

---

## Automation chain (after model selected)

| Step | Owner | Target |
| --- | --- | --- |
| S1 OS baseline | railiance-infra | 3 nodes |
| S2 k3s HA | railiance-cluster | ThreePhoenix |
| S3 OpenBao deploy | railiance-platform | `make openbao-deploy` |
| Init/unseal apply | net-kingdom | `make openbao-init-unseal` (sops-held) |
| Platform config | railiance-platform | `openbao-configure-initial` |
| SSH engine | railiance-platform | `openbao-configure-ssh` (planned) |
| Host CA trust | railiance-infra | `bootstrap-ssh-ca` (planned) |
| Sign smoke | ops-warden | `warden sign` (WP-0008 T2) |

---

## Related docs

- `docs/smooth-bootstrap-guide.md` — Step 5 (OpenBao init/unseal)
- `docs/platform-root-custody.md` — king / quorum custody
- `railiance-platform/docs/openbao.md` — deploy and ceremony
- `ops-warden/wiki/OpenBaoSshEngineChecklist.md` — SSH engine verify
- `ops-warden/history/2026-06-17-openbao-production-verify.md` — current blockers