Same-cluster SPIFFE/SPIRE
For Kubernetes workloads in the same cluster, TrustPlane Auth can put a broker sidecar next to the caller pod. The caller asks the broker for a request-bound passport. The broker verifies the caller through the SPIRE Workload API, then issues the passport and proof.
The protected API still sees the same adapter decision model: public trust material, route policy, request proof, and replay protection.
Shape
Only the broker sidecar needs access to the SPIRE Workload API socket. The application container does not need to mount or read that socket directly.
Issuance flow
Route source rule
{
"issuer": "https://issuer.acme.example/spire",
"trust_domain": "example.local",
"subject_prefix": "spiffe://example.local/ns/orders/sa/",
"required_key_binding": "attested_workload",
"provenance_policy": {
"profile": "trustplane-spiffe-spire-k8s-v1",
"required_spiffe_trust_domain": "example.local",
"required_posture": "spiffe_svid_verified"
}
}
attested_workload means the broker verified workload identity through an X.509-SVID before
issuance. It does not mean the broker signing key is hardware-bound, enclave-backed, or
non-exportable.
Live boundary
| Topic | v0.1.0-rc.1 story |
|---|---|
| Same-cluster SPIFFE/SPIRE | Live when SPIRE is deployed and the broker is configured for the Workload API |
| Workload API exposure | Broker sidecar only |
| SVID type | X.509-SVID path |
| Per-request verifier behavior | Verifier trusts the broker issuer key from local bundle material |
| Cross-cluster SPIFFE federation | Future unless explicitly deployed outside this default flow |
| Hardware-bound broker key | Not implied |
This is the live same-cluster SPIFFE story: workload identity gates broker issuance, and the adapter verifies the resulting passport and proof locally.
For the capability details, see Broker & attested_workload.