feat(docs): Add comprehensive documentation for Vexer, Vulnerability Explorer, and Zastava modules
- Introduced AGENTS.md, README.md, TASKS.md, and implementation_plan.md for Vexer, detailing mission, responsibilities, key components, and operational notes. - Established similar documentation structure for Vulnerability Explorer and Zastava modules, including their respective workflows, integrations, and observability notes. - Created risk scoring profiles documentation outlining the core workflow, factor model, governance, and deliverables. - Ensured all modules adhere to the Aggregation-Only Contract and maintain determinism and provenance in outputs.
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# architecture_excititor_mirrors.md — Excititor Mirror Distribution
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> **Status:** Draft (Sprint 7). Complements `docs/modules/excititor/architecture.md` by describing the mirror export surface exposed by `Excititor.WebService` and the configuration hooks used by operators and downstream mirrors.
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---
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## 0) Purpose
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Excititor publishes canonical VEX consensus data. Operators (or StellaOps-managed mirrors) need a deterministic way to sync those exports into downstream environments. Mirror distribution provides:
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* A declarative map of export bundles (`json`, `jsonl`, `openvex`, `csaf`) reachable via signed HTTP endpoints under `/excititor/mirror`.
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* Thin quota/authentication controls on top of the existing export cache so mirrors cannot starve the web service.
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* Stable payload shapes that downstream automation can monitor (index → fetch updates → download artifact → verify signature).
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Mirror endpoints are intentionally **read-only**. Write paths (export generation, attestation, cache) remain the responsibility of the export pipeline.
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---
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## 1) Configuration model
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The web service reads mirror configuration from `Excititor:Mirror` (YAML/JSON/appsettings). Each domain groups a set of exports that share rate limits and authentication rules.
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```yaml
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Excititor:
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  Mirror:
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    Domains:
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      - id: primary
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        displayName: Primary Mirror
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        requireAuthentication: false
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        maxIndexRequestsPerHour: 600
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        maxDownloadRequestsPerHour: 1200
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        exports:
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          - key: consensus
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            format: json
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            filters:
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              vulnId: CVE-2025-0001
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              productKey: pkg:test/demo
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            sort:
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              createdAt: false     # descending
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            limit: 1000
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          - key: consensus-openvex
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            format: openvex
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            filters:
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              vulnId: CVE-2025-0001
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```
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### Root settings
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| Field | Required | Description |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| `outputRoot` | – | Filesystem root where mirror artefacts are written. Defaults to the Excititor file-system artifact store root when omitted. |
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| `directoryName` | – | Optional subdirectory created under `outputRoot`; defaults to `mirror`. |
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| `targetRepository` | – | Hint propagated to manifests/index files indicating the operator-visible location (for example `s3://mirror/excititor`). |
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| `signing` | – | Bundle signing configuration. When enabled, the exporter emits a detached JWS (`bundle.json.jws`) alongside each domain bundle. |
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`signing` supports the following fields:
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| Field | Required | Description |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| `enabled` | – | Toggles detached signing for domain bundles. |
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| `algorithm` | – | Signing algorithm identifier (default `ES256`). |
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| `keyId` | ✅ (when `enabled`) | Signing key identifier resolved via the configured crypto provider registry. |
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| `provider` | – | Optional provider hint when multiple registries are available. |
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| `keyPath` | – | Optional PEM path used to seed the provider when the key is not already loaded. |
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### Domain field reference
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| Field | Required | Description |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| `id` | ✅ | Stable identifier. Appears in URLs (`/excititor/mirror/domains/{id}`) and download filenames. |
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| `displayName` | – | Human-friendly label surfaced in the `/domains` listing. Falls back to `id`. |
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| `requireAuthentication` | – | When `true` the service enforces that the caller is authenticated (Authority token). |
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| `maxIndexRequestsPerHour` | – | Per-domain quota for index endpoints. `0`/negative disables the guard. |
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| `maxDownloadRequestsPerHour` | – | Per-domain quota for artifact downloads. |
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| `exports` | ✅ | Collection of export projections. |
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Export-level fields:
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| Field | Required | Description |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| `key` | ✅ | Unique key within the domain. Used in URLs (`/exports/{key}`) and filenames/bundle entries. |
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| `format` | ✅ | One of `json`, `jsonl`, `openvex`, `csaf`. Maps to `VexExportFormat`. |
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| `filters` | – | Key/value pairs executed via `VexQueryFilter`. Keys must match export data source columns (e.g., `vulnId`, `productKey`). |
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| `sort` | – | Key/boolean map (false = descending). |
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| `limit`, `offset`, `view` | – | Optional query bounds passed through to the export query. |
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⚠️ **Misconfiguration:** invalid formats or missing keys cause exports to be flagged with `status` in the index response; they are not exposed downstream.
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---
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## 2) HTTP surface
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Routes are grouped under `/excititor/mirror`.
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| Method | Path | Description |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| `GET` | `/domains` | Returns configured domains with quota metadata. |
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| `GET` | `/domains/{domainId}` | Domain detail (auth/quota + export keys). `404` for unknown domains. |
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| `GET` | `/domains/{domainId}/index` | Lists exports with exportId, query signature, format, artifact digest, attestation metadata, and size. Applies index quota. |
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| `GET` | `/domains/{domainId}/exports/{exportKey}` | Returns manifest metadata (single export). `404` if unknown/missing. |
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| `GET` | `/domains/{domainId}/exports/{exportKey}/download` | Streams export content from the artifact store. Applies download quota. |
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Responses are serialized via `VexCanonicalJsonSerializer` ensuring stable ordering. Download responses include a content-disposition header naming the file `<domain>-<export>.<ext>`.
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### Error handling
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* `401` – authentication required (`requireAuthentication=true`).
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* `404` – domain/export not found or manifest not persisted.
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* `429` – per-domain quota exceeded (`Retry-After` header set in seconds).
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* `503` – export misconfiguration (invalid format/query).
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---
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## 3) Rate limiting
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`MirrorRateLimiter` implements a simple rolling 1-hour window using `IMemoryCache`. Each domain has two quotas:
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* `index` scope → `maxIndexRequestsPerHour`
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* `download` scope → `maxDownloadRequestsPerHour`
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`0` or negative limits disable enforcement. Quotas are best-effort (per-instance). For HA deployments, configure sticky routing at the ingress or replace the limiter with a distributed implementation.
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---
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## 4) Interaction with export pipeline
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Mirror endpoints consume manifests produced by the export engine (`MongoVexExportStore`). They do **not** trigger new exports. Operators must configure connectors/exporters to keep targeted exports fresh (see `EXCITITOR-EXPORT-01-005/006/007`).
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Recommended workflow:
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1. Define export plans at the export layer (JSON/OpenVEX/CSAF).
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2. Configure mirror domains mapping to those plans.
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3. Downstream mirror automation:
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   * `GET /domains/{id}/index`
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   * Compare `exportId` / `consensusRevision`
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   * `GET /download` when new
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   * Verify digest + attestation
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When the export engine runs, it materializes the following artefacts under `outputRoot/<directoryName>`:
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- `index.json` – canonical index listing each configured domain, manifest/bundle descriptors (with SHA-256 digests), and available export keys.
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- `<domain>/manifest.json` – per-domain summary with export metadata (query signature, consensus/score digests, source providers) and a descriptor pointing at the bundle.
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- `<domain>/bundle.json` – canonical payload containing serialized consensus, score envelopes, and normalized VEX claims for the matching export definitions.
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- `<domain>/bundle.json.jws` – optional detached JWS when signing is enabled.
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Downstream automation reads `manifest.json`/`bundle.json` directly, while `/excititor/mirror` endpoints stream the same artefacts through authenticated HTTP.
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---
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## 5) Operational guidance
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* Track quota utilisation via HTTP 429 metrics (configure structured logging or OTEL counters when rate limiting triggers).
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* Mirror domains can be deployed per tenant (e.g., `tenant-a`, `tenant-b`) with different auth requirements.
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* Ensure the underlying artifact stores (`FileSystem`, `S3`, offline bundle) retain artefacts long enough for mirrors to sync.
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* For air-gapped mirrors, combine mirror endpoints with the Offline Kit (see `docs/24_OFFLINE_KIT.md`).
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---
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## 6) Future alignment
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* Replace manual export definitions with generated mirror bundle manifests once `EXCITITOR-EXPORT-01-007` ships.
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* Extend `/index` payload with quiet-provenance when `EXCITITOR-EXPORT-01-006` adds that metadata.
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* Integrate domain manifests with DevOps mirror profiles (`DEVOPS-MIRROR-08-001`) so helm/compose overlays can enable or disable domains declaratively.
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