Security Model
This document explains how trust, authority, and security are handled in the Open UGC & Beyond ecosystem.
The system is designed so that:
- Trust is minimized
- Authority is explicit
- Failure is contained
- Compromise does not cascade
Security here is structural, not aspirational.
Core Security Principles
The architecture follows a few non-negotiable principles:
- Single source of truth
- Explicit authority boundaries
- Least privilege by default
- No hidden trust assumptions
- Failure should degrade, not collapse
Every layer exists to reduce blast radius, not expand control.
Trust Boundaries by Layer
OGAL — Truth & Ownership
OGAL is the authoritative truth layer.
It is responsible for:
- Asset identity
- Ownership
- Mutability rules
- Transfer authority
Security properties:
- Ownership enforced by on-chain program state
- Mutability gated by explicit authority
- No off-chain enforcement required
- No platform-specific trust assumptions
OGAL does not:
- Execute monetization
- Track usage
- Depend on marketplaces
If everything else fails, OGAL truth remains intact.
OPP — Packaging & Value Intent
OPP is a coordination layer, not a custody layer.
It is responsible for:
- Declaring composition
- Declaring usage semantics
- Declaring value intent via SBOM
Security properties:
- SBOM is machine-readable and verifiable
- Ownership references resolve back to OGAL
- Value intent is explicit and auditable
OPP does not:
- Hold funds
- Execute payments
- Enforce monetization
If OPP logic is misused, OGAL ownership is unaffected.
Tooling — Client-Side Risk Containment
Tooling exists to reduce user error, not replace security.
Responsibilities:
- Transaction construction
- Verification helpers
- Runtime reconstruction
- UX abstraction
Security properties:
- Tooling is non-custodial
- Private keys never leave user control
- Failures result in rejected transactions, not partial state
Tooling compromise cannot rewrite protocol truth.
Platforms — Execution & Monetization
Platforms enforce:
- Monetization logic
- Usage gating
- Access rules
- Business models
Security properties:
- Platforms do not own OGAL assets
- Platforms cannot modify asset truth
- Platforms must resolve ownership from OGAL
Platform compromise affects only that platform.
No platform can corrupt global ownership.
Markets & Indexers — Non-Authoritative
Markets and indexers are read-only participants.
Security properties:
- Indexers observe on-chain state
- Markets mirror OGAL truth
- Errors do not propagate upstream
Discovery failures do not affect ownership.
Authority & Permissions Model
Asset Authority
Each OGAL asset defines:
- Owner authority
- Update permissions
- Transfer permissions
Only the owner can:
- Modify metadata
- Change mutability
- Transfer ownership
Authority is explicit and enforced on-chain.
Program Authority
Protocols may include:
- Upgrade authority (governed)
- Pause authority (emergency only)
Design constraints:
- Emergency controls are narrow
- No silent state mutation
- All authority actions are auditable
Governance is visible, not implicit.
Attack Surface & Mitigations
Smart Contract Risks
Mitigations:
- Narrow instruction surface
- Deterministic state transitions
- Separation of OGAL and OPP programs
- Conservative upgrade discipline
Risk is reduced by simplicity.
Off-Chain Data Integrity
Mitigations:
- Metadata stored via Arweave/IPFS
- On-chain hash verification
- Immutable content addressing
Off-chain storage does not undermine on-chain truth.
Client-Side Risks
Mitigations:
- Clear signing flows
- Toolbelt verification helpers
- No background transactions
- Explicit user intent per action
User consent is never implicit.
Economic & Coordination Risks
Mitigations:
- Monetization is optional
- Value intent is explicit
- Enforcement occurs at the platform layer
- No forced rent extraction
Misaligned incentives cannot hijack the protocol.
Failure Modes & Containment
| Failure | Impact | Containment |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol bug | Limited to affected instruction | Upgradable, auditable |
| OPP misuse | Package-level only | OGAL ownership unaffected |
| Marketplace failure | Discovery disruption | Assets remain usable |
| Platform shutdown | Local execution loss | Assets remain portable |
| Tooling bug | UX friction | On-chain state unchanged |
No single failure collapses the system.
What This Model Prevents
- Platform lock-in
- Hidden authority
- Silent ownership changes
- Forced monetization
- Cascading failures
Security here is about preserving freedom, not enforcing control.
One-Sentence Summary
OGAL enforces truth, OPP declares intent, tooling reduces error, platforms execute locally, and markets remain non-authoritative.