git.stella-ops.org/docs-archived/product/advisories/23-Dec-2026 - Binary Mapping as Attestable Proof.md

Here’s a simple, practical way to make vulnerability “reachability” auditable and offline‑verifiable in Stella Ops without adding a lot of UI or runtime cost.

What this is (plain English)

• Call‑stack subgraph: when we say a vuln is “reachable,” we really mean some functions in your code can eventually call the risky function. That tiny slice of the big call graph is the subgraph.
• Proof of exposure (PoE): a compact bundle (think: a few kilobytes) that cryptographically proves which functions and edges make the vuln reachable in a specific build.
• Offline‑verifiable: auditors can check the proof later, in an air‑gapped setting, using only hashes and your reproducible build IDs.

The minimal data model

• BuildID: deterministic identifier (e.g., ELF Build‑ID or source‑of‑truth content hash).
• Nodes: function identifiers (module, symbol, debug‑addr, source:line?).
• Edges: caller → callee (with optional guard predicates like feature flags).
• Entry set: the function(s)/handlers reachable from runtime entrypoints (HTTP handlers, cron, CLI).
• Sink set: vulnerable API(s)/function(s) tied to a CVE.
• Reachability proof: {BuildID, nodes[N], edges[E], entryRefs, sinkRefs, policyContext, toolVersions} + DSSE signature.

How it fits the Stella Ops ledger

• Store each resolved call‑stack as a subgraph object keyed by (BuildID, vulnID, package@version).

• Link it to:

  • SBOM component node (CycloneDX/SPDX ref).
  • VEX claim (affected/not‑affected/under‑investigation).
  • Scan recipe (so anyone can replay the result).

• Emit one PoE artifact per “(vuln, component) with reachability=true”.

Why this helps

• Binary precision + explainability: even if you only have a container image, the PoE explains why it’s reachable.
• Auditor‑friendly: tiny artifact, DSSE‑signed, replayable with a known scanner build.
• Noise control: store reachability as first‑class evidence; triage focuses on subgraphs, not global graphs.

Implementation guide (short and concrete)

1) Extraction (per build)

• Prefer source‑level graphs when available; otherwise:

  • ELF/PE/Mach‑O symbol harvest + debug info (DWARF/PDB) if present.
  • Lightweight static call‑edge inference (import tables, PLT/GOT, relocation targets).
  • Optional dynamic trace sampling (eBPF hooks) to confirm hot edges.

2) Resolution pipeline

• Normalize function IDs: ModuleHash:Symbol@Addr[:File:Line].
• Compute entry set (framework adapters know HTTP/GRPC/CLI entrypoints).
• Compute sink set via rulepack mapping CVEs → {module:function(s)}.
• Run bounded graph search with policy guards (feature flags, platform, build tags).
• Persist the subgraph + metadata.

3) PoE artifact (OCI‑attached attestation)

• Canonical JSON (stable sort, normalized IDs).
• Include: BuildID, tool versions, policy digest, SBOM refs, VEX claim link, subgraph nodes/edges, minimal repro steps.
• Sign via DSSE; attach as OCI ref to the image digest.

4) Offline verification (auditor)

• Inputs: PoE, image digest, SBOM slice.
• Steps: verify DSSE → check BuildID ↔ image digest → confirm nodes/edges hashes → re‑evaluate policy (optional) → show minimal path(s) entry→sink.

UI: keep it small

• Evidence tab → “Proof of exposure” pill on any reachable vuln row.

• Click opens a tiny path viewer (entry→…→sink) with:

  • path count, shortest path, guarded edges (badges for feature flags).
  • “Copy PoE JSON” and “Verify offline” instructions.

• No separate heavy UI needed; reuse the existing vulnerability details drawer.

C# shape (sketch)

record FunctionId(string ModuleHash, string Symbol, ulong Addr, string? File, int? Line);
record Edge(FunctionId Caller, FunctionId Callee, string[] Guards);
record Subgraph(string BuildId, string ComponentRef, string VulnId,
                IReadOnlyList<FunctionId> Nodes, IReadOnlyList<Edge> Edges,
                string[] EntryRefs, string[] SinkRefs,
                string PolicyDigest, string ToolchainDigest);

interface IReachabilityResolver {
    Subgraph Resolve(string buildId, string componentRef, string vulnId, ResolverOptions opts);
}

interface IProofEmitter {
    byte[] EmitPoE(Subgraph g, PoeMeta meta); // canonical JSON bytes
}

Policy hooks you’ll want from day one

• fail_if_unknown_edges > N in prod.
• require_guard_evidence for claims like “feature off”.
• max_paths/max_depth to keep proofs compact.
• source-first-but-fallback-binary selection.

Rollout plan (2 sprints)

• Sprint A (MVP): static graph, per‑component sinks, shortest path only, PoE JSON + DSSE sign, attach to image, verify‑cli.
• Sprint B (Hardening): guard predicates, multiple paths with cap, eBPF confirmation toggle, UI path viewer, policy gates wired to release checks.