



Network Working Group                                       A. Hernandez
Internet-Draft                                        Varlil Corporation
Intended status: Standards Track                          1 January 2026
Expires: 5 July 2026


   The Cosmos Protocol Specification (Trust-Native Semantic Protocol)
                 draft-cosmos-protocol-specification-00

Abstract

   The Cosmos Protocol (Trust-Native Semantic Protocol) defines a badge-
   based identity and communication system intended for deployments that
   prefer not to rely on external consensus or blockchain
   infrastructure.  Cosmos supports trust-native communication and
   decentralized identity management through cryptographically signed
   badges that operate without mandatory external trust systems.  The
   protocol also supports passwordless authentication flows using badge-
   based credentials and biometric authenticators, reducing reliance on
   traditional password mechanisms.

   The Cosmos Protocol introduces several foundational innovations that
   together form an integrated identity-native communication substrate.
   These include: (1) Badge-Based Identity -- cryptographically signed,
   capability-bearing identifiers designed to operate without requiring
   blockchain or distributed ledger infrastructure, while allowing
   deployments to integrate such systems if desired; (2) Trust Scoring
   -- reputation-anchored trust models (domain-bound for DNS networks,
   star-bound for Cosmos-native networks) that enable cross-star
   capability granting and trust-based authorization without requiring
   new badges; (3) Lumen Encryption -- uses post-quantum candidate
   cryptographic primitives (see [RFC-XXXX-Lumen]), badge-native
   encryption designed to support forward secrecy; (4) Echo Grammar --
   semantic message structures that provide intent clarity, UI hints,
   and agent compatibility; (5) Capsule System -- universal, encrypted
   containers for communication and storage; (6) Slipstream Transport
   (TNTP) -- a trust-native transport protocol with badge-based
   sessions, intent-aware routing, and the ability to operate without
   blockchain or external consensus dependencies; (7) Ramp and SDFF
   Serialization -- deterministic text and binary formats that provide
   canonical structure for all Cosmos data; (8) Profile System --
   portable, domain-scoped user profiles with badge-based access
   control; and (9) Productivity Protocols -- standardized scheduling,
   contacts, and calendaring protocols (Comet, Nebula, Nova) that
   provide a badge-native model that can serve as an alternative to
   multiple legacy standards.





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   Cosmos badges are Ramp (Slope Data Format, SDF) documents with
   optional DID compatibility, allowing integration with existing
   decentralized identity systems while preserving the protocol's self-
   contained architecture within Cosmos deployments.  The badge system
   addresses key limitations in current identity approaches, including
   the lack of enterprise-grade lifecycle management, star-bound trust
   establishment, and the ability to operate independently of external
   infrastructure in constrained or disconnected environments.

   The protocol provides a viable alternative to complex identity stacks
   while maintaining interoperability with existing standards, making it
   suitable for both greenfield deployments and integration with
   existing systems.

Note

   This document is in draft status and represents a proposed standard
   for the Cosmos Protocol specification.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
   Task Force (IETF).  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.  The list of current Internet-
   Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.

   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
   and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
   time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
   material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."

   This Internet-Draft will expire on 5 July 2026.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2026 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.











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   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents (https://trustee.ietf.org/
   license-info) in effect on the date of publication of this document.
   Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights
   and restrictions with respect to this document.  Code Components
   extracted from this document must include Revised BSD License text as
   described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are
   provided without warranty as described in the Revised BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1.  Status of This Memo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   2.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     2.1.  Problem Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
     2.2.  Solution Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5
     2.3.  Why Not Existing Solutions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
       2.3.1.  Why Not Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs)? . . . . . .   7
       2.3.2.  Why Not LDAP or Active Directory? . . . . . . . . . .   8
   3.  Scope and Applicability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   4.  Requirements Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   5.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
   6.  Protocol Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13
     6.1.  Core Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13
     6.2.  Architecture Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13
     6.3.  Component Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  15
     6.4.  Cosmos as Network Stack Evolution . . . . . . . . . . . .  15
       6.4.1.  TCP/IP Stack Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16
   7.  Badge System  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
   8.  Manifest  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
   9.  Policy Substrate (Governance Substrate) . . . . . . . . . . .  18
   10. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  19
   11. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  19
   12. Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20
   13. References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20
     13.1.  Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20
     13.2.  Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  23

1.  Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
   Task Force (IETF).  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.  The list of current Internet-
   Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.




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   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
   and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
   time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
   material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."

2.  Introduction

   This document specifies the Cosmos Protocol, a trust-native, badge-
   based identity and communication system designed for enterprise
   deployment without requiring blockchain or distributed ledger
   infrastructure.  The protocol provides a viable alternative to
   existing decentralized identity solutions by combining identity
   management, trust scoring, encryption, and communication in a
   unified, self-contained system within Cosmos deployments.

   This document does not obsolete or update any existing RFCs.  It
   defines a new protocol specification intended for use in enterprise
   identity and communication systems, decentralized applications, and
   environments that can operate without external consensus or
   blockchain infrastructure.

2.1.  Problem Statement

   Current decentralized identity and communication systems face
   fundamental limitations that prevent widespread adoption and
   practical deployment:

   *Infrastructure Dependencies*: Most decentralized identity solutions
   require complex infrastructure dependencies including blockchain
   networks, distributed ledgers, or specialized consensus mechanisms.
   These dependencies create barriers to deployment, especially in
   constrained environments, enterprise settings, or scenarios requiring
   rapid deployment.

   *Trust Quantification Challenges*: Existing systems lack effective
   mechanisms for quantifying trustworthiness between entities.  Without
   reliable trust metrics, users cannot make informed decisions about
   communication partners, leading to either excessive caution or
   inappropriate trust.

   *Enterprise Integration Gaps*: Current solutions often focus on
   individual identity management but fail to address enterprise
   requirements such as lifecycle management, organizational
   hierarchies, domain-based policies, and integration with existing
   infrastructure.






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   *Communication Fragmentation*: Identity and communication systems are
   typically separate, requiring complex integration work and creating
   security gaps between authentication and messaging.

   *Walled Garden Communication*: Modern communication platforms create
   walled gardens where users on different platforms cannot communicate
   effectively.  This forces users to rely on email systems for cross-
   platform communication, even when other chat and messaging solutions
   may be preferred.  Users must maintain multiple accounts across
   different platforms, fragmenting their communication and social
   graph.  Cross-platform interoperability is limited or non-existent,
   preventing users from choosing preferred communication tools while
   maintaining universal connectivity.

   *Profile Data Fragmentation and Lock-in*: User profiles are
   fragmented across multiple platforms, each with its own data silo.
   Users must recreate their profiles on each platform, losing their
   social graph and content when switching providers.  Profile data is
   locked into individual platforms with no portability, preventing
   users from migrating their profiles, content, and relationships.
   Users lack control over their profile data and privacy settings
   across platforms, leading to data silos and vendor lock-in.

   *Scalability Limitations*: Many decentralized systems struggle with
   scalability, either requiring significant computational resources or
   failing to handle enterprise-scale deployments effectively.

   *Password-Based Authentication Weaknesses*: Traditional password-
   based authentication systems suffer from fundamental security
   weaknesses including password reuse, weak passwords, password theft,
   phishing attacks, and the burden of password management.  Users are
   forced to create, remember, and manage passwords across multiple
   services, leading to security vulnerabilities and poor user
   experience.  Password-based systems also lack built-in identity
   verification and trust establishment mechanisms, requiring external
   trust systems.

2.2.  Solution Overview

   The Cosmos Protocol addresses these challenges through a
   comprehensive badge-based identity and communication system that
   supports the following capabilities:









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   *Infrastructure Independence*: Cosmos can operate without blockchain,
   distributed ledgers, or external consensus mechanisms.  The protocol
   is self-contained within Cosmos deployments and can be deployed in
   any environment, including constrained environments and enterprise
   data centers, without external consensus or blockchain
   infrastructure.

   *Star-bound Trust Scoring*: A trust algorithm designed to reduce
   manipulation risks that quantifies trustworthiness using star
   reputation, network effects, and behavioral patterns, enabling
   informed trust decisions without centralized authorities.

   *Enterprise-ready Identity Management*: Lifecycle management for
   badge issuance, renewal, revocation, and organizational hierarchies,
   designed for enterprise deployment scenarios.

   *Productivity Protocols*: Integrated scheduling, contacts, and
   calendar protocols (Comet, Nebula, Nova) that interoperate with the
   badge-based identity system, reducing security gaps between
   authentication and communication.

   *Cross-Provider Interoperability*: Interlink enables cross-provider
   interoperability for participating platforms.  Users can communicate
   seamlessly across different providers while each provider maintains
   their unique features and user experience.  This enables users to use
   preferred chat and messaging solutions for cross-platform
   communication while maintaining connectivity across participating
   platforms.  Users maintain a single identity and social graph that
   works across participating providers.

   *Profile System*: The Cosmos Profile System is designed to support
   portability across participating providers, subject to provider
   implementation and policy.  Cosmos reduces fragmentation by defining
   a consistent profile format with domain-scoped data spaces.  Users
   maintain a single canonical profile that functions across
   participating providers, reducing duplication and data silos.  Domain
   spaces allow each service to store its own data within the user's
   profile, while users retain full control over privacy settings and
   migration.  Users may migrate their profiles, content, and social
   graph between participating providers without data loss, subject to
   provider support.  Profiles are private by default and require
   explicit user action to make public, ensuring user-controlled
   visibility.

   *Scalability*: The architecture is intended to support deployments
   ranging from small installations to large multi-service environments,
   with design considerations for maintaining performance and security
   across varying scales.



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   *Passwordless Authentication*: Cosmos authentication flows are
   designed to minimize password usage by supporting badge-based
   credentials and FIDO2/Passkey-compliant biometric authenticators.
   Badge-based authentication reduces reliance on passwords and
   mitigates common password-related vulnerabilities such as password
   reuse, weak passwords, password theft, and phishing attacks.  Badge-
   based authentication also provides built-in identity verification and
   trust establishment within Cosmos deployments without requiring
   external trust systems.

2.3.  Why Not Existing Solutions?

2.3.1.  Why Not Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs)?

   DIDs [W3C-DID] provide a flexible decentralized identity model.
   Cosmos focuses on a different deployment profile by emphasizing self-
   contained operation and integrated trust scoring.  The following
   differences highlight Cosmos's approach:

   *Infrastructure Complexity*: DIDs require complex resolver
   infrastructure, method-specific implementations, and often depend on
   blockchain or distributed ledger technology.  This creates deployment
   barriers and operational complexity that Cosmos avoids through its
   self-contained design within Cosmos deployments.

   *Trust Quantification Gap*: DIDs provide cryptographic verification
   but lack built-in trust scoring mechanisms.  Cosmos includes star-
   bound trust scoring that supports informed decisions about
   communication partners without relying on external trust systems.

   *Enterprise Lifecycle Management*: DIDs focus on individual identity
   but do not provide enterprise features such as organizational
   hierarchies, star-based policies, or integrated lifecycle management,
   which Cosmos is designed to support.

   *Communication Integration*: DIDs are primarily identity-focused and
   require separate integration with communication systems.  Cosmos
   provides unified identity and communication protocols, reducing
   integration complexity and security gaps between identity and
   communication systems.

   *Deployment Flexibility*: DIDs often require specific infrastructure
   choices (blockchain, resolver networks) that limit deployment
   options.  Cosmos can be deployed in any environment without
   infrastructure dependencies.






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   *Badge-DID Compatibility*: Cosmos badges are Ramp (Slope Data Format,
   SDF) [RFC-XXXX-Ramp] documents with optional DID [W3C-DID]
   compatibility, allowing integration with existing decentralized
   identity systems while preserving the protocol's self-contained
   architecture within Cosmos deployments.  This enables Cosmos
   deployments to interoperate with DID ecosystems without depending on
   external DID infrastructure.

   The Cosmos approach provides an integrated, enterprise-oriented
   solution that addresses practical deployment needs while maintaining
   interoperability with existing decentralized identity standards.

2.3.2.  Why Not LDAP or Active Directory?

   LDAP [RFC4511] and Active Directory provide mature directory
   services.  Cosmos targets scenarios that require integrated trust
   scoring, badge-based authentication, and unified communication
   semantics.  The following differences highlight Cosmos's approach:

   *Password-Based Authentication*: All LDAP implementations (including
   Active Directory, OpenLDAP, 389 Directory Server, Apache Directory
   Server, FreeIPA, eDirectory, and other LDAP-based directory services)
   rely on password-based authentication, which is vulnerable to
   password reuse, weak passwords, password theft, and phishing attacks.
   Cosmos uses badge-based authentication with FIDO2/Passkey-compliant
   biometric authentication, eliminating the need for passwords within
   standard Cosmos authentication flows and providing cryptographic
   proof of identity.

   *Centralized Architecture*: LDAP and Active Directory are centralized
   systems with single points of failure, domain controller
   dependencies, and global catalog bottlenecks.  Cosmos supports
   distributed, edge-based deployment models that reduce single-point-
   of-failure risks, enabling global distribution and automatic scaling.

   *Trust Establishment Gap*: LDAP and Active Directory lack effective
   mechanisms for establishing and quantifying trust between entities.
   Cosmos includes star-bound trust scoring that enables informed
   decisions about communication partners without requiring external
   trust systems.

   *Communication Integration*: LDAP and Active Directory are primarily
   identity/directory-focused and require separate integration with
   communication systems.  Cosmos provides unified identity and
   communication protocols, reducing integration complexity and security
   gaps between authentication and messaging systems.





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   *Directory Scope Limitation*: LDAP is purely a directory query
   protocol for hierarchical data structures.  Cosmos is an integrated
   identity and communication protocol that includes directory-like
   query capabilities (Manifest) as one component of a broader system
   that integrates identity, trust, encryption, messaging, and
   productivity protocols into a unified, badge-native system.

   *Key Advantages*: Cosmos provides passwordless authentication, trust-
   based access control, integrated communication, distributed
   architecture, cryptographic verification, cross-star federation,
   intended post-quantum resistance, platform-agnostic enforcement, and
   real-time policy updates.  Cosmos implementations can integrate with
   existing LDAP/Active Directory infrastructure through adapter layers,
   enabling gradual migration.

3.  Scope and Applicability

   This specification defines the full Cosmos Protocol, including:

   *  Badge-based identity system with DID compatibility

   *  Domain-bound trust scoring algorithm

   *  Lumen encryption system [RFC-XXXX-Lumen] with intended post-
      quantum resistance

   *  Echo grammar [RFC-XXXX-Echo] for semantic messaging

   *  Capsule system [RFC-XXXX-Capsules] for encrypted communication and
      storage

   *  Slipstream Transport Protocol (TNTP) [RFC-XXXX-Slipstream]

   *  Ramp (Slope Data Format, SDF) [RFC-XXXX-Ramp] and SDFF (Self-
      Describing Field Format) [RFC-XXXX-SDFF] for data serialization

   *  Profile system [RFC-XXXX-Profile]

   *  Productivity suite protocols (Comet [RFC-XXXX-Comet], Nebula
      [RFC-XXXX-Nebula], Nova [RFC-XXXX-Nova])

   The protocol is applicable to:

   *  Enterprise identity and communication systems

   *  Decentralized applications requiring trust-native communication





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   *  Constrained environments that can operate without external
      consensus or blockchain infrastructure

   *  Systems requiring deployments ranging from small installations to
      large multi-service environments

   *  Environments requiring gradual migration from legacy systems

   *  Complete network replacement scenarios (future work, requires
      separate transport protocol specification)

4.  Requirements Language

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
   "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in BCP
   14 [RFC2119] [RFC8174] when, and only when, they appear in all
   capitals, as shown here.

5.  Terminology

   This document defines the following key terms:

   *Protocol Name vs. Brand Name*:

   The relationship between "TNSP" (Trust-Native Semantic Protocol) and
   "Cosmos" follows the same pattern as IEEE 802.11 and WiFi, or IEEE
   802.15.1 and Bluetooth:

   *  *TNSP (Trust-Native Semantic Protocol)*: The technical protocol
      specification name used in RFCs, technical documentation, and
      protocol implementations.  TNSP is the formal network-layer
      protocol in the Cosmos stack, providing an identity-native
      alternative to IP.

   *  *Cosmos*: The brand/marketing name used in user-facing
      documentation, product names, and marketing materials.  Cosmos is
      the user-friendly name for the complete protocol ecosystem.

   *  *Relationship*: TNSP is the technical protocol specification (like
      IEEE 802.11), and Cosmos is the brand name (like WiFi).  When
      referring to the technical protocol specification, use "TNSP" or
      "Trust-Native Semantic Protocol".  When referring to the brand,
      ecosystem, or user-facing aspects, use "Cosmos".

   *  *Usage Guidelines*:





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      -  Use "TNSP" in technical contexts: RFCs, protocol
         specifications, code comments, technical documentation, network
         layer discussions

      -  Use "Cosmos" in brand/marketing contexts: user documentation,
         product names, marketing materials, ecosystem discussions

      -  This document uses "Cosmos Protocol" in the title and abstract
         for brand recognition, but refers to "TNSP" when discussing the
         technical network layer protocol specification

   *  *Badge*: A cryptographically signed identifier that serves as
      identity, capability, and trust container in the Cosmos Protocol.
      Badges are self-contained and do not require external
      infrastructure for validation.

   *  *Manifest*: The core authority service in the Cosmos ecosystem
      that consolidates certificate authority, authentication service,
      and token/authorization service functions into a single unified
      service.

   *  *Star*: A Cosmos-native entity identified by a domain name (e.g.,
      "example.com") that serves as the trust anchor and authority
      boundary in the Cosmos Protocol.  Stars are Cosmos-implemented
      entities with badge-based identity, trust scoring, and Cosmos-
      native protocols.  The term "star" emphasizes the authority and
      trust anchor role: stars have gravity (authority), and all things
      around stars naturally gravitate toward them.

   *  *Domain*: The domain name that a star uses as its primary
      identifier (e.g., "example.com").  A star is identified by its
      domain name, which follows familiar TCP/IP domain naming
      conventions.

   *  *Accretion*: A bilateral trust relationship between stars where
      both sides must agree.  Accretion is a coordinated event, not
      automatic, and can be reversed.  With enough accretions, a star
      becomes a constellation (super node).

   *  *Constellation*: A star that has achieved super node status
      through sufficient accretion relationships.  When a star has
      enough accretions, it becomes a constellation with high gravity
      (trust), making it a preferred path in routing decisions.  Routing
      algorithms consider constellation relationships when selecting
      optimal paths, but routing itself is performed by service layer
      instances.





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   *  *Trust Score*: A computed metric that quantifies the
      trustworthiness of a star based on star reputation, network
      effects, and behavioral patterns.  The Cosmos Protocol defines two
      trust-scoring modes: domain-bound trust scoring, which derives
      signals from DNS-native sources (e.g., DNS records, TLS history,
      email reputation) when operating over DNS-addressed networks; and
      star-bound trust scoring, which uses Cosmos-native signals such as
      accretions, badge stability, and Manifest behavior when operating
      within Cosmos-native addressing and federation.  The trust-scoring
      model is extensible: any star MAY implement custom trust-scoring
      algorithms for its own use cases, and trust scores MAY be applied
      beyond network routing to authorization decisions, service
      selection, and other trust-based operations, but MUST NOT be
      treated as absolute indicators of identity legitimacy.

   *  *Lumen Encryption*: The badge-based encryption system used in the
      Cosmos Protocol that uses post-quantum candidate cryptographic
      primitives (see [RFC-XXXX-Lumen]) and is designed to support
      forward secrecy.

   *  *Echo Grammar*: The semantic message structure system in the
      Cosmos Protocol that provides UI hints and agent compatibility for
      structured communication.

   *  *Capsule*: A general-purpose encrypted container in the Cosmos
      Protocol that provides secure communication and storage
      capabilities with badge-based access control.

   *  *Interlink*: Optional social networking protocol that enables
      cross-provider interoperability for participating platforms.
      Interlink formalizes how existing Cosmos components work together
      for social networking, defining standard Echo Grammar structures
      for posts, comments, and social interactions.

   *  *Corona*: The star's outward identity surface and distributed
      presence layer.  Corona provides a minimal, canonical interface to
      the star without exposing the Manifest directly.  Corona instances
      sit between Wormhole (routing) and Manifest (authority), allowing
      stars to appear in multiple locations while remaining anchored to
      a single sovereign Manifest.  Corona exposes the star's basic
      metadata, trust hints, and canonical service endpoints.










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6.  Protocol Overview

   *Implementation Note*: Protocol versioning and evolution rules,
   including deprecation lifecycle, version compatibility, and version
   negotiation procedures, are defined in
   [RFC-XXXX-Protocol-Versioning].  This document provides only a high-
   level overview of the Cosmos Protocol primitives.

6.1.  Core Principles

   The Cosmos Protocol is built on five fundamental principles:

   *Infrastructure Independence*: The protocol operates without
   requiring blockchain, distributed ledgers, or external consensus
   mechanisms, enabling deployment in any environment without external
   consensus or blockchain infrastructure.

   *Star-bound Trust*: Trust is established and managed at the star
   (domain) level through accretion relationships, providing natural
   organizational boundaries and policy enforcement.

   *Badge-centric Identity*: All identity, capability, and trust
   information is contained within cryptographically signed badges that
   are self-contained and verifiable.

   *Federated Communication*: Identity and communication systems are
   integrated, enabling cross-provider interoperability for
   participating platforms while maintaining security and reducing
   integration complexity.

   *Enterprise Readiness*: The protocol is designed for enterprise-scale
   deployment with comprehensive lifecycle management and organizational
   support.

6.2.  Architecture Overview

   The Cosmos Protocol consists of several integrated components:

   *  *Badge System*: Cryptographically signed identifiers serving as
      self-contained identity, capability, and trust containers
      [RFC-XXXX-Badge]

   *  *Trust Scoring System*: Manipulation-resistant algorithm for
      quantifying trustworthiness [RFC-XXXX-Trust-Scoring]

   *  *Lumen Encryption*: Badge-based encryption using post-quantum
      candidate primitives [RFC-XXXX-Lumen]




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   *  *Echo Grammar*: Semantic message structures with UI hints
      [RFC-XXXX-Echo]

   *  *Capsule System*: General-purpose encrypted communication and
      storage containers [RFC-XXXX-Capsules]

   *  *Transport Layer*: Slipstream Transport Protocol (TNTP)
      [RFC-XXXX-Slipstream] with badge-based sessions

   *  *Corona*: The star's outward identity surface and distributed
      presence layer [RFC-XXXX-Corona], providing a minimal, canonical
      interface to the star without exposing Manifest directly

   *  *Profile System*: Universal profiles with domain spaces and
      privacy controls [RFC-XXXX-Profile]

   *  *Comet (Scheduling Protocol)*: Unified scheduling protocol that
      combines iTIP [RFC5546] and iMIP [RFC6047] with badge-based
      identity and trust scoring [RFC-XXXX-Comet]

   *  *Nebula (Contact Protocol)*: Unified contact management protocol
      that combines vCard [RFC6350] and CardDAV [RFC6352] with badge-
      based identity and trust scoring [RFC-XXXX-Nebula]

   *  *Nova (Calendar Protocol)*: Unified calendar protocol that
      combines iCalendar [RFC5545], CalDAV [RFC4791], iTIP [RFC5546],
      and iMIP [RFC6047] with badge-based identity and trust scoring
      [RFC-XXXX-Nova]

   *Implementation Scope Note*: While the protocol defines all
   components, different entities implement different parts based on
   their role:

   *  *Manifest Operators*: Implement badge system, trust scoring, and
      badge lifecycle management

   *  *Profile Providers*: Implement profile system and (optionally)
      Interlink

   *  *Service Providers*: Implement services using badges, profiles,
      and messaging as needed

   *  Entities can combine roles (e.g., a manifest operator can also
      operate as a profile provider)







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6.3.  Component Relationships

   All components work together to provide an integrated identity and
   communication system:

   *  Badges provide identity and authentication for all other
      components

   *  Trust scoring informs decisions across all communication and
      access control

   *  Lumen encryption secures all communication and storage

   *  Echo grammar structures all messages for semantic processing

   *  Capsules package all data for secure transmission and storage

   *  Transport layer provides secure networking consistent with Cosmos
      transport requirements

   *  Corona provides the star's identity surface and distributed
      presence, sitting between routing (Wormhole) and authority
      (Manifest) to protect Manifest and enable distributed presence

   *  Profiles manage user information and privacy

   *  Manifest-based resolution enables star discovery and capability
      verification

   *  Comet (Scheduling Protocol) enables badge-based scheduling with
      trust-scored permissions, designed for enterprise-scale
      deployments

   *  Nebula (Contact Protocol) enables badge-based contact management
      with trust-scored relationships and cross-star interoperability

   *  Nova (Calendar Protocol) enables badge-based calendar management
      with trust-scored access control, designed for enterprise-scale
      deployments

6.4.  Cosmos as Network Stack Evolution

   The Cosmos Protocol provides trust-native, identity-aware networking
   that can operate over existing TCP/IP infrastructure or without IP
   infrastructure (see Deployment Phases).  Cosmos can operate in
   environments where TCP/IP infrastructure is available and can also
   operate without IP infrastructure for scenarios that can operate
   without external consensus or blockchain infrastructure (see Phase 4:



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   Independent Operation).

   These components operate as functional alternatives within Cosmos-
   native deployments; they do not require or mandate replacement of
   existing Internet protocols.

6.4.1.  TCP/IP Stack Comparison

   Cosmos provides alternative protocols that correspond to layers of
   the TCP/IP network stack:

   *Layer 1-2 (Physical/Data Link):* Cosmos retains existing physical
   and data link layers (Ethernet, WiFi, Fiber, MAC addressing).  These
   layers remain unchanged as they provide fundamental hardware
   communication.

   *Layer 3 (Network):* Cosmos provides the Trust-Native Semantic
   Protocol (TNSP) as an alternative to IP.  Capsules serve as the
   fundamental unit of TNSP, analogous to IP packets at the network
   layer.  They operate at the application/identity layer with built-in
   trust, identity, and semantics.  In Phase 4 deployments, Badge IDs
   provide network-layer addressing as an alternative to IP addresses,
   and intent-based routing (defined in TNSP and service discovery
   protocols) provides an alternative to IP routing.

   *Layer 4 (Transport):* Cosmos provides Slipstream (Trust-Native
   Transport Protocol, TNTP) [RFC-XXXX-Slipstream] as an alternative to
   TCP/UDP.  Slipstream provides badge-based sessions, trust-aware flow
   control, and the ability to operate without external consensus or
   blockchain infrastructure.

   *Layer 5+ (Application):* Cosmos provides Manifest federation as an
   identity-native alternative to DNS within Cosmos-native deployments
   (see Deployment Phases).  DNS is still used for bootstrap Manifest
   discovery in early deployment phases.  BEAP (Badge-Enabled API
   Protocol) [RFC-XXXX-BEAP] with Echo Grammar provides an application
   protocol model for identity-addressed operations, badge-based
   authentication, and intent-aware routing, serving the role that HTTP/
   HTTPS plays in traditional web architectures.  Echo Grammar provides
   structured, semantic message formats in place of HTTP's unstructured
   payloads.  Badge IDs serve as identity anchors analogous to domain
   names, but with cryptographic trust semantics.

   *Implementation Note*: The complete Slipstream (Trust-Native
   Transport Protocol, TNTP) specification is defined in
   [RFC-XXXX-Slipstream].  Slipstream is the recommended transport
   protocol for Cosmos deployments and can operate both independently of
   IP (Layer 2 mode) and over IP networks (via UDP/TCP encapsulation).



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   Slipstream does not require blockchain or external consensus
   dependencies, but may require Manifest for badge validation in Cosmos
   deployments (see [RFC-XXXX-Slipstream] for standalone operation
   details).

6.4.1.1.  Deployment Phases

   Cosmos can be deployed in phases, from operation over TCP/IP
   infrastructure to independent operation:

   *Phase 1 (TCP/IP Infrastructure):* Cosmos runs on TCP/IP
   infrastructure.  Slipstream (TNTP) is the recommended transport
   protocol and can operate over IP networks via UDP/TCP encapsulation.
   DNS is used for bootstrap Manifest discovery.  This enables immediate
   deployment without requiring infrastructure changes.

   *Phase 2 (Application Layer Alternatives):* Manifest federation
   provides an identity-native alternative to DNS resolution within the
   Cosmos substrate.  BEAP (Badge-Enabled API Protocol) [RFC-XXXX-BEAP]
   with Echo Grammar provides an application protocol model for
   identity-addressed operations and structured messaging, serving the
   role that HTTP/HTTPS plays in traditional web architectures.
   Capsules provide a structured, semantic alternative to HTTP content
   formats.  Slipstream (TNTP) operates over existing IP networks via
   UDP/TCP encapsulation, and Cosmos continues to use IP for the network
   layer during this phase.

   *Phase 3 (Transport Layer Alternatives):* Slipstream (Trust-Native
   Transport Protocol, TNTP) [RFC-XXXX-Slipstream] provides an
   alternative to TCP/UDP, providing badge-based sessions.  Cosmos
   continues to use IP for network layer.

   *Phase 4 (Independent Operation):* TNSP provides an alternative to IP
   at the network layer.  In Phase 4 deployments, Badge IDs provide an
   alternative to IP addresses (see [RFC-XXXX-Badge] for Badge ID
   structure and routing properties), and intent-based routing (defined
   in TNSP and service discovery protocols) provides an alternative to
   IP routing.  Slipstream (Trust-Native Transport Protocol, TNTP)
   operates directly over Layer 2 (Ethernet frames) or via TNSP
   capsules.  This enables deployment without external consensus or
   blockchain infrastructure, including environments where IP
   infrastructure is not available or desired.  Phase 4 deployments
   still require Manifest for badge validation and trust establishment
   (see [RFC-XXXX-Manifest]).







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7.  Badge System

   Cosmos implementations MUST use the Badge System as specified in
   [RFC-XXXX-Badge] for all identity, capability, and trust management
   operations.  Badges are cryptographically signed Ramp (Slope Data
   Format, SDF) [RFC-XXXX-Ramp] documents that serve as identity,
   capability, and trust containers without requiring blockchain or
   external infrastructure.

   *Implementation Note*: The complete Badge System specification,
   including detailed badge structure, badge types, lifecycle
   management, DID compatibility, group badges, and security
   considerations, is defined in [RFC-XXXX-Badge].  This document
   specifies only the requirement to use badges and the integration
   points with the Cosmos Protocol.

8.  Manifest

   Each star participates in the Cosmos Protocol through its Manifest
   service, which acts as the star's authority for badge issuance,
   validation, and policy distribution.  Deployment models, availability
   strategies, and operational requirements for Manifest are defined in
   [RFC-XXXX-Manifest].

   *Note*: Detailed specifications for cross-domain registry hosting,
   including hosting relationships, federated service model, termination
   requirements, and high availability requirements, are defined in
   [RFC-XXXX-Manifest].  This document provides only a high-level
   overview of Manifest's role in the Cosmos Protocol.

9.  Policy Substrate (Governance Substrate)

   The Policy Substrate is a network-wide governance layer that defines
   and enforces policies across all Cosmos components.  Unlike
   traditional policy systems that are component-specific, the Policy
   Substrate provides a unified governance model for Cosmos deployments
   where implemented (see [RFC-XXXX-Manifest] for Policy Substrate
   requirements and deployment models), covering access control,
   compliance, security, data management, and system configuration.

   *Implementation Note*: Detailed Policy Substrate specifications,
   including policy categories, network-wide enforcement mechanisms,
   compliance policies, security policies, data management policies, and
   Access Control Grammar, are defined in [RFC-XXXX-Manifest] (see
   Section 9).  This document provides only a high-level overview of the
   Policy Substrate's role in the Cosmos Protocol.





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10.  Security Considerations

   The Cosmos Protocol's security properties derive from cryptographic
   badge signatures, post-quantum encryption (Lumen; see
   [RFC-XXXX-Lumen]), domain-bound trust scoring, and the ability to
   operate without blockchain or external consensus dependencies.
   Cosmos provides confidentiality through post-quantum candidate
   primitives (see [RFC-XXXX-Lumen] for algorithm details and security
   considerations), integrity through cryptographic signatures,
   authentication through badge-based verification, authorization
   through badge capabilities and trust scores, and non-repudiation
   through cryptographically signed operations that include timestamp
   fields defined in the Badge specification (see [RFC-XXXX-Badge] for
   signature structure and validation requirements), subject to the
   security properties of the underlying algorithms.

   Key security considerations include: identity spoofing prevention
   through cryptographic verification, trust manipulation resistance
   through algorithms designed to reduce manipulation risks,
   communication interception protection through post-quantum candidate
   primitives (see [RFC-XXXX-Lumen]), and cross-domain security through
   domain-bound policies and cryptographic isolation.

   *Implementation Note*: Detailed security considerations, including
   threat models, attack resistance analysis, privacy protection
   mechanisms, single-point-of-failure analysis, and implementation
   security requirements, are defined in component RFCs.  See
   [RFC-XXXX-Badge] for badge security, [RFC-XXXX-Manifest] for Manifest
   security requirements and SPOF mitigation, [RFC-XXXX-Lumen] for
   encryption security, and [RFC-XXXX-Slipstream] for transport
   security.  This document provides only a high-level overview of the
   Cosmos Protocol's security properties.

11.  IANA Considerations

   This document defines the Cosmos Protocol specification and uses
   existing DNS record types (TXT, SRV, CNAME).  The protocol defines
   transport-agnostic requirements and internal data structures and
   algorithms that do not require IANA registration.  This document
   defines no new IANA registries.  Transport protocols such as
   Slipstream define their own IANA considerations in separate
   documents.

   Badge types, trust levels, capabilities, and other protocol-internal
   elements are defined within this specification and do not require
   separate IANA registries.  Service discovery uses existing SRV record
   types.  Domain authority declaration uses existing TXT record types.




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   A separate specification document defines the COSMOS DNS record type,
   which will require IANA registration.  That specification contains
   the necessary IANA considerations for the new DNS record type.

   This document has no IANA actions.

12.  Acknowledgments

   The authors would like to thank the contributors to the Cosmos
   Protocol specification and the broader decentralized identity
   community for their insights and feedback.

13.  References

13.1.  Normative References

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC2119, March 1997,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.

   [RFC8174]  Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC
              2119 Key Words", BCP 14, RFC 8174, DOI 10.17487/RFC8174,
              May 2017, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8174>.

13.2.  Informative References

   [RFC-XXXX-Badge]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Badge System", Work in
              Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-badge-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-badge-
              00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-BEAP]
              Hernandez, A., "Badge-Enabled API Protocol (BEAP):
              Identity-Addressed, Intent-Aware API Standard", Work in
              Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-beap-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-beap-
              00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Capsules]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Capsule Protocol", Work in
              Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-capsules-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-
              capsules-00>.






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   [RFC-XXXX-Comet]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Comet Scheduling Protocol",
              Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-comet-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-comet-
              00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Corona]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Corona Protocol", Work in
              Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-corona-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-
              corona-00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Echo]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Echo Grammar Protocol", Work in
              Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-echo-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-echo-
              00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Lumen]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Lumen Encryption Protocol",
              Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-lumen-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-lumen-
              00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Manifest]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Manifest (Badge Registry)
              Protocol", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-
              manifest-00, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-
              cosmos-manifest-00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Nebula]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Nebula Contact Protocol", Work
              in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-nebula-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-
              nebula-00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Nova]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Nova Calendar Protocol", Work
              in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-nova-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-nova-
              00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Profile]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Profile Protocol and
              Interlink", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-
              cosmos-profile-00, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/
              draft-cosmos-profile-00>.




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   [RFC-XXXX-Protocol-Versioning]
              Hernandez, A., "Cosmos Protocol Versioning and Evolution",
              Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-protocol-
              versioning-00, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/
              draft-cosmos-protocol-versioning-00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Ramp]
              Hernandez, A., "Ramp: Slope Data Format (SDF)", Work in
              Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-ramp-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-ramp-00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-SDFF]
              Hernandez, A., "SDFF: Self-Describing Field Format", Work
              in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-sdff-00,
              <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-sdff-
              00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Slipstream]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Slipstream Transport Protocol
              (TNTP)", Work in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-
              slipstream-00, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/
              draft-cosmos-slipstream-00>.

   [RFC-XXXX-Trust-Scoring]
              Hernandez, A., "The Cosmos Trust Scoring Protocol", Work
              in Progress, Internet-Draft, draft-cosmos-trust-scoring-
              00, <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-cosmos-
              trust-scoring-00>.

   [RFC4511]  Sermersheim, J., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
              (LDAP): The Protocol", RFC 4511, DOI 10.17487/RFC4511,
              June 2006, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4511>.

   [RFC4791]  Daboo, C. and L. Desruisseaux, "Calendaring Extensions to
              WebDAV (CalDAV)", RFC 4791, DOI 10.17487/RFC4791, March
              2007, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc4791>.

   [RFC5545]  Desruisseaux, B., "Internet Calendaring and Scheduling
              Core Object Specification (iCalendar)", RFC 5545,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC5545, September 2009,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5545>.

   [RFC5546]  Daboo, C., "iCalendar Transport-Independent
              Interoperability Protocol (iTIP)", RFC 5546,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC5546, December 2009,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5546>.





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   [RFC6047]  Daboo, C., "iCalendar Message-Based Interoperability
              Protocol (iMIP)", RFC 6047, DOI 10.17487/RFC6047, December
              2010, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6047>.

   [RFC6350]  Perreault, S., "vCard Format Specification", RFC 6350,
              DOI 10.17487/RFC6350, August 2011,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6350>.

   [RFC6352]  Daboo, C., "CardDAV: vCard Extensions to WebDAV",
              RFC 6352, DOI 10.17487/RFC6352, August 2011,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc6352>.

   [W3C-DID]  Sporny, M., Longley, D., and M. Sabadello, "Decentralized
              Identifiers (DIDs) v1.0", July 2022,
              <https://www.w3.org/TR/did-core/>.

Author's Address

   Antoine Hernandez
   Varlil Corporation
   Email: ahernan1@varlil.com






























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