Hardware-anchored trust for missions that can't fail.
When systems are classified, sovereign, or holding critical infrastructure together, trust can't be a configuration setting. Z-index Zero's Defense tier is being designed to anchor security in hardware itself — attestable, tamper-evident, and able to run disconnected. This is layer zero in its truest form: the ground everything mission-critical stands on.
A root of trust you can prove, not just promise
In high-assurance environments, you don't get to take security on faith. Defense is being designed around a hardware root of trust: every node would cryptographically attest to exactly what it is before it joins, and any tampering would leave a permanent, detectable mark. The aim is to run in a sovereign cloud, on isolated networks, or air-gapped — with the guarantees intact either way.
- Hardware root of trust with continuous attestation
- Sovereign, on-prem, and air-gap-ready deployments
- Supply-chain integrity verified from silicon up
- Designed around the controls government accreditation requires
Planned for this layer
Hardware attestation
Designed so every node proves its identity and integrity to the network before it's trusted — impersonation simply fails.
Root of trust from silicon
Security anchored in the hardware itself, not in software that can be swapped or subverted.
Air-gap & sovereign deploy
Meant to run offline or inside a sovereign boundary, with no dependency on the public internet for its security guarantees.
FedRAMP / IL5 on the roadmap
Being built around the controls and documentation government accreditation demands. The accreditations themselves are a roadmap goal — not yet held.
Supply-chain integrity
Designed to verify components end to end, so what you deploy is provably what you intended to deploy.
Continuous attestation
Nodes are meant to re-prove their integrity over time — not just once at deployment.
How it's designed to work
Scope the mission
We'd start with your security authority to map classification levels, networks, and accreditation requirements.
Anchor the hardware
Roots of trust are provisioned and attested across your nodes — the foundation everything else inherits.
Deploy in your boundary
Designed to stand up in a sovereign cloud, on isolated infrastructure, or air-gapped. Your environment, your rules.
Sustain & respond
Continuous attestation and monitoring are meant to keep the system trustworthy through its whole lifecycle.
Made for
Defense & intelligence
Protect classified data and systems with attestable, hardware-anchored assurance.
Government agencies
Meet accreditation requirements without sacrificing operational speed.
Critical infrastructure
Energy grids, water, and transport systems that must keep running under any conditions.
National labs & research
Safeguard sensitive research and IP in environments that demand provable integrity.
Curious? Start here.
Straight answers for people getting to know how we work. Still wondering something? Our team is happy to talk.
That's the design goal — Defense is being built to operate air-gapped, with no dependency on the public internet for any security guarantee.
Let's talk about your mission.
Defense is at an early stage. If it's the kind of problem you work on, we'd like to talk — early conversations shape what we build.