feat(ql3): validate cluster credential key rotation

deploy/kubernetes/ql3-cluster/README.md

@@ -958,22 +958,25 @@ stringData:
     -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
     REPLACE_WITH_OPERATOR_CA_BUNDLE
     -----END CERTIFICATE-----
-  api-credential-pepper: REPLACE_WITH_CANONICAL_32_BYTE_BASE64URL
+  api-credential-pepper-keyring.json: |
+    {"schemaVersion":1,"activePepperKeyId":"legacy-v1","keys":[{"pepperKeyId":"legacy-v1","pepper":"REPLACE_WITH_CANONICAL_32_BYTE_BASE64URL"}]}
 ```
 
 The URL must not contain `ssl*` query parameters. TLS is configured separately
 and is fixed to `verify-full` in the committed deployment. The servername is
 mandatory, must be an explicit DNS name rather than an IP literal, and must
 match the endpoint certificate SAN. Only
-`postgres-ca.crt` is projected from this Secret into the runtime trust mount;
-the URL, servername and pepper remain environment-only values. The CA loader
-requires an absolute path to a regular file that is not group/world writable,
-1–256 KiB, and contains 1–16 unique PEM X.509 CA certificates with no trailing
-data.
+`postgres-ca.crt` and `api-credential-pepper-keyring.json` are projected from
+this Secret into the runtime private mount; only the URL and servername remain
+environment values. The keyring is a canonical, bounded 1–2 generation file;
+the singleton above is the bootstrap form. The CA loader requires an absolute
+path to a regular file that is not group/world writable, 1–256 KiB, and
+contains 1–16 unique PEM X.509 CA certificates with no trailing data.
 
-The trust bundle is loaded once for each new application activation. Rotate the
-Secret and perform a controlled Deployment rollout; an active Pool never
-silently changes trust roots in place. Use the
+The trust bundle and API credential keyring are loaded once for each new
+application activation. Rotate the Secret and perform a controlled Deployment
+rollout; an active process never silently changes either authority in place.
+Use the
 [old → overlap → new runbook](operations/postgres-ca-rotation.md) and its
 `audit:postgres-ca-overlap:ql3` preflight rather than replacing a trust root in
 one step.

deploy/kubernetes/ql3-cluster/base/deployment.yaml

@@ -113,11 +113,8 @@ spec:
                 secretKeyRef:
                   name: ql3-cluster-control-runtime
                   key: postgres-tls-servername
-            - name: QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER
-              valueFrom:
-                secretKeyRef:
-                  name: ql3-cluster-control-runtime
-                  key: api-credential-pepper
+            - name: QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE
+              value: /var/run/secrets/qinglong3/postgres-runtime/api-credential-pepper-keyring.json
             - name: QL3_POSTGRES_WORKER_INGRESS_URL
               valueFrom:
                 secretKeyRef:
@@ -250,6 +247,8 @@ spec:
             items:
               - key: postgres-ca.crt
                 path: ca.crt
+              - key: api-credential-pepper-keyring.json
+                path: api-credential-pepper-keyring.json
         - name: postgres-worker-ingress-ca
           secret:
             secretName: ql3-cluster-worker-ingress

deploy/kubernetes/ql3-cluster/operations/security-administration/base/job.yaml

@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ spec:
             - --command=/var/run/qinglong3/security-administration-private/input/command.json
             - --assertion=/var/run/qinglong3/security-administration-private/input/assertion.jwt
             - --keyset=/var/run/qinglong3/security-administration-private/input/keyset.json
-            - --pepper=/var/run/qinglong3/security-administration-private/input/pepper
+            - --pepper-keyring=/var/run/qinglong3/security-administration-private/input/pepper-keyring.json
           securityContext:
             allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
             readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ spec:
                 path: assertion.jwt
               - key: keyset.json
                 path: keyset.json
-              - key: pepper
-                path: pepper
+              - key: pepper-keyring.json
+                path: pepper-keyring.json
         - name: private-input
           emptyDir:
             medium: Memory

deploy/kubernetes/ql3-cluster/operations/security-administration/input-secret.example.yaml

@@ -11,4 +11,5 @@ stringData:
     {"schemaVersion":1,"operation":"audit.list","request":{"limit":25,"filter":{"outcome":"allowed"}}}
   assertion.jwt: REPLACE_WITH_SHORT_LIVED_MULTI_FACTOR_ASSERTION
   keyset.json: REPLACE_WITH_PINNED_SECURITY_ADMINISTRATION_KEYSET
-  pepper: REPLACE_WITH_CANONICAL_32_BYTE_BASE64URL_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER
+  pepper-keyring.json: |
+    {"schemaVersion":1,"activePepperKeyId":"REPLACE_WITH_ACTIVE_KEY_ID","keys":[{"pepperKeyId":"REPLACE_WITH_ACTIVE_KEY_ID","pepper":"REPLACE_WITH_CANONICAL_32_BYTE_BASE64URL_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER"}]}

deploy/kubernetes/ql3-cluster/operators/cloudnative-pg/credentials.example.yaml

@@ -175,7 +175,8 @@ metadata:
   namespace: qinglong3-system
 type: Opaque
 stringData:
-  api-credential-pepper: REPLACE_WITH_CANONICAL_32_BYTE_BASE64URL
+  api-credential-pepper-keyring.json: |
+    {"schemaVersion":1,"activePepperKeyId":"REPLACE_WITH_ACTIVE_KEY_ID","keys":[{"pepperKeyId":"REPLACE_WITH_ACTIVE_KEY_ID","pepper":"REPLACE_WITH_CANONICAL_32_BYTE_BASE64URL"}]}
 ---
 apiVersion: v1
 kind: Secret

docs/QINGLONG_3_0_ARCHITECTURE_RFC.md

@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
 
 最新增量证据（2026-08-26）：
 
-- Alpha 阶段产物门（已实现、首次远端产物待本提交 CI）：`QingLong 3.0 CI` 的显式 `produce_alpha_artifacts` 门只在手动里程碑运行中归档已经通过原生测试的镜像，而不把普通 push/PR 的中间构建冒充发布。Local amd64/arm64 Docker archive 必须先通过 OS vulnerability policy、SBOM/实际库存复核、128 MiB entrypoint、Edge/Standalone fresh SQLite lifecycle 和真实 Local API cancellation；Cluster control/control-ai/admin/worker 的双架构 archive 必须通过对应 vulnerability、non-root、SBOM inventory 门，Admin 额外通过产品 facade smoke。每个 30 天 artifact 绑定完整 source SHA、3.0 版本、架构、image ID、archive SHA-256、CycloneDX SBOM、已通过 gate 和试运行/回退说明。Local 可称为用户隔离试运行候选；Cluster 仅是 integration candidate，因为离线 tag 尚未满足 public GHCR digest、catalog、deployment-lock、生产 HA/DR/CSI/IdP 门。只有实际远端 run 成功并记录 artifact 名/digest 后，才把本阶段标记为“已有可下载产物”；当前仍不能宣称公开 3.0 release。
+- Alpha 阶段产物门（已有本地可加载候选，远端归档待显式授权）：`QingLong 3.0 CI` 的显式 `produce_alpha_artifacts` 门只在手动里程碑运行中归档已经通过原生测试的镜像，而不把普通 push/PR 的中间构建冒充发布。source `b45a5e04b7f49ffdadd5117b6b5253c6f1c05430` 已产出 Local arm64 Docker archive（SHA-256 `58bbc250833c9e86321718aea70ac0a637699b84c18531fa7a82b35e90b7fa83`）、CycloneDX SBOM、manifest、verification evidence 与 checksum；重新 `docker load` 后的 image ID/architecture/user、read-only/no-network smoke、128 MiB Edge/Standalone lifecycle、SQLite integrity 与 HIGH/CRITICAL=0 已复验。对应远端 CI 40/40 与原生 arm64 Local image job 已通过，但因尚未授权向 GitHub 上传源码派生镜像/SBOM，当前是 owner-private 的本地阶段产物，不是公开可下载 release。Local 可称为用户隔离试运行候选；Cluster 仍只是 integration candidate，因为离线 tag 尚未满足 public GHCR digest、catalog、deployment-lock、生产 HA/DR/CSI/IdP 门。
 
-- D-407/ADR-0502（代码门已通过，Kubernetes 双代 live ceremony 待验收）：Cluster API credential pepper 从“数据库保存 key ID、运行时却只有一个固定 material”收敛为最多 old/new 两代的显式 keyring。Security Administration 只用 active key 签发并持久化 exact ID；Cluster Control 按 credential record 精确选一把 key，未知 ID/material 一律 unavailable，绝不 fallback 或遍历，因此认证热路径仍为一次摘要。旧 raw pepper 只通过 `legacy-v1` singleton bridge 保持兼容。新增 `pepper.references` 以数据库时间返回最多 64 个当前 latest active/unexpired credential ID 和 `hasMore`，只作为退休前检查，不执行删除。keyring 文件有 2 KiB、canonical/no-symlink/private/stable-read 边界，无 watcher/timer/新连接池；Edge/Standalone package、依赖与常驻资源零变化。`cluster-admin` 完整回归为 `458 total / 455 pass / 3 conditional skip / 0 fail`，`cluster-control` 为 `281 total / 279 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail`，D-407 聚焦构建与 33 项测试通过；`3.0.0-alpha.1` 身份下 18-package clean build/test 退出 0，backend 为 `1592 total / 1590 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail`。当前 D-406 Kubernetes stager 仍只支持单 pepper，material GC、持久 active catalog、索引/大规模查询计划、远程 UI/API、双人复核和真实 K3s/CNPG overlap→activate→contract 仍是后续门禁。
+- D-407/ADR-0502（代码与静态门已通过，Kubernetes 双代 live ceremony 待验收）：Cluster API credential pepper 从“数据库保存 key ID、运行时却只有一个固定 material”收敛为最多 old/new 两代的显式 keyring。Security Administration 只用 active key 签发并持久化 exact ID；Cluster Control 按 credential record 精确选一把 key，未知 ID/material 一律 unavailable，绝不 fallback 或遍历，因此认证热路径仍为一次摘要。旧 raw pepper 只通过 `legacy-v1` singleton bridge 保持通用 CLI/进程兼容；Kubernetes Job 和常驻 Cluster Control manifest 已统一为 keyring-only，不再维护第二套单值 Secret 注入模式。新增 `pepper.references` 以数据库时间返回最多 64 个当前 latest active/unexpired credential ID 和 `hasMore`，只作为退休前检查，不执行删除。keyring 文件有 2 KiB、canonical/no-symlink/private/stable-read 边界，无 watcher/timer/新连接池；Edge/Standalone package、依赖与常驻资源零变化。三节点 live 合同现已编码 overlap-old-active、activate-new、旧代引用 1→0、contract-new，并在每个阶段滚动真实双副本 Cluster Control：有效但无 Project role 的 old/new credential 必须到达生产 HTTP 认证面后返回 403，收缩后的旧 credential 必须返回 401。content-free schema 固定 2→1 代收缩、数据库跨两个 credential 的 1 个旧代/3 个新代版本事实、四次授权拒绝与一次认证拒绝；本轮 Kubernetes/report/stager 聚焦测试 23/23，Security Administration、Cluster Deployment、CloudNativePG 三个静态审计及 54 项相关共享 live fixture 测试通过。18-package clean build/test 已完成；Worker Runtime 的 3 个 loopback 用例在沙箱内因 `listen EPERM` 失败后，于允许 loopback 的同一工作区重跑为 `135/135`。完整 `cluster-admin` 为 `459 total / 456 pass / 3 conditional skip / 0 fail`，`cluster-control` 为 `281 total / 279 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail`，最新 backend 为 `1594 total / 1592 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail`。material GC、持久 active catalog、索引/大规模查询计划、远程 UI/API、双人复核和真实 K3s/CNPG live 验收仍是后续门禁。
 
 - D-406/ADR-0501（已验收）：Cluster Security Administration 现在有可选的一次性 Kubernetes Job，而不是要求每个部署者自行拼装。通用 PostgreSQL、CloudNativePG、credential delivery 与组合入口均显式 opt-in，不进入共享 operations；因此 Edge/Standalone 以及默认 Cluster 的 package、依赖、启动路径和常驻资源仍为零增量。Job 固定 non-root/read-only/drop-all、无 ServiceAccount token/RBAC、`backoffLimit=0`、300 秒 deadline、600 秒 TTL、每容器 25m/48 MiB request 和 250m/128 MiB limit；主命令仍只打开一个 admin PostgreSQL connection。stager 保留 kubelet Secret symlink 兼容性，同时以 realpath confinement、`O_NOFOLLOW`、读前/读后 inode 复验和独立大小上限把四个输入复制成 memory-backed `0700/0600` 私有边界，失败时主容器不可启动；issue/rotate 才选择 PVC delivery component，token 只进入唯一 `0600` no-replace 文件。真实 arm64 live gate 已在 1 control-plane + 2 worker 的 K3s `v1.34.3+k3s1`、Flannel、CloudNativePG 1.30.0、3 个 PostgreSQL 18.4 实例、migration 71/control-core capability 70 上完成 register、audit query、issue、response-loss exact replay、rotate、revoke；证明 kubelet `0440` immutable Secret 投影可被私有化、`0444` 扩权会在主容器启动前失败、RWO PVC 跨 Job 保留 `0700/0600` no-replace 交付、Kubernetes API/公网 egress 与 Secret/Job RBAC 均被拒绝。全部管理 Job 继续以 UID/GID 10001 运行；仅 live local-path fixture 用一个无网络、无 API token、drop-all 的 root Job 把实现特有的 `02777 root:10001` PVC 根收紧为 `02770`，不能据此声称生产 CSI 加密或 custody 已验收。content-free `0600` 报告独立审计为 `compatible=true/findings=[]`，SHA-256 为 `e5c24af77034e1a2efee062107176e218c11a9f9f0d6c8c7308fdc280b0a82cf`；18-package clean build/test 退出 0，当前 `cluster-admin` 为 `456 total / 453 pass / 3 conditional skip / 0 fail`，backend 为 `1590 total / 1588 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail`。D-406 关闭单主机 K3s/CNPG/PVC 的产品命令与权限边界门，但不冒充生产 Kubernetes control-plane HA、跨主机 STONITH/DR、加密 CSI、外部 IdP、双人复核/break-glass、pepper rotation、audit retention/export/alert、并发 dispatch 或远程 UI/API。
 
@@ -10082,7 +10082,7 @@ PR-8 的本机最新增量由 ADR-0075/0076/0077/0078/0079/0080/0081/0082/0083/0
 
 ADR-0087 Owner package 更新同样适用于上段 PR-8 累计描述：现行产品 CLI 只能经 console facade 到达其内部 bootstrap/credential-recovery，三个历史 ceremony package 名都只表示旧切片；`ql3-owner-gc` 由 maintenance 直接提供，不再拥有独立 importer。
 
-PR-8 的 cluster ADR-0049 未完成项由 ADR-0050/0051/0500/0501 继续收敛：Identity register/enable/disable、credential issue/rotate/revoke、mutation ledger、强 actor、同事务 audit、有界 audit query，以及常驻 `/api/v3` 的认证前 overload shield 已孵化完成；D-405 新增默认无 listener、一次只执行一个命令并关闭单连接 admin authority 的 `ql3-security-admin` 产品 CLI，credential token 只向私有 no-replace 文件交付。D-406 又补齐默认不安装、无 Kubernetes API authority 的一次性 Job、私密输入 stager、CloudNativePG 与 PVC delivery 契约，并已由真实三节点 K3s、三实例 PostgreSQL 18.4、response-loss replay、PVC custody、网络/RBAC 拒绝与失败清理 live ceremony 验收。该单 Docker host fixture 仍不证明生产 control-plane HA、跨主机 STONITH/DR 或加密 CSI；远程 API/UI、管理入口独立 rate limit、双人复核或 break-glass、pepper rotation、audit retention/export/alert 也仍未完成。不得把短生命周期 CLI、一次性 Job、application service 或 process-local HTTP shield 的存在解释为 cluster-control 已获得管理 authority 或全局 quota。
+PR-8 的 cluster ADR-0049 未完成项由 ADR-0050/0051/0500/0501/0502 继续收敛：Identity register/enable/disable、credential issue/rotate/revoke、mutation ledger、强 actor、同事务 audit、有界 audit query，以及常驻 `/api/v3` 的认证前 overload shield 已孵化完成；D-405 新增默认无 listener、一次只执行一个命令并关闭单连接 admin authority 的 `ql3-security-admin` 产品 CLI，credential token 只向私有 no-replace 文件交付。D-406 又补齐默认不安装、无 Kubernetes API authority 的一次性 Job、私密输入 stager、CloudNativePG 与 PVC delivery 契约，并已由真实三节点 K3s、三实例 PostgreSQL 18.4、response-loss replay、PVC custody、网络/RBAC 拒绝与失败清理 live ceremony 验收。D-407 进一步把常驻 Cluster Control 与 Admin Job 的 Kubernetes 配置收敛为最多 old/new 两代的 keyring-only 文件投影，保留一次精确摘要认证和显式滚动重启；overlap→activate→contract live 合同已经编码，但受审三节点门仍待执行。该单 Docker host fixture 仍不证明生产 control-plane HA、跨主机 STONITH/DR 或加密 CSI；远程 API/UI、管理入口独立 rate limit、双人复核或 break-glass、自动 rotation/material GC、audit retention/export/alert 也仍未完成。不得把短生命周期 CLI、一次性 Job、application service 或 process-local HTTP shield 的存在解释为 cluster-control 已获得管理 authority 或全局 quota。
 
 未进入当前孵化切片的代码在通过对应 Gate 前必须保持不可达：不得仅因 schema、service 或 Primary 编排器已存在，就让旧 Controller、Scheduler、gRPC callback 或 Shell 脚本直接写入新状态表或调用新 Executor。已接入的 Shadow 观察只能通过默认关闭的 Feature Flag 和 origin owner 决策到达，不得调用 Executor、再次 spawn 或改变 Legacy 返回结果。manual `runSingle` 只增加 owner selection seam；默认没有 router。HTTP bootstrap 每次启动只读取一次 manifest，缺失、禁用、拒绝或非 primary 时保持 Legacy 且不加载重组件；显式 accepted manual primary 会在恢复门禁通过后安装唯一 owner，选中后禁止回退双跑。ADR-0445 已让 `ScheduleService.runTask` 的 subscription/system/script 在显式 origin flag 下只观察同一个 Legacy ChildProcess；system crond 的 `scheduled_system`、once/boot/grpc 与这些来源的 Primary owner 切换仍须独立门禁。
 

docs/adr/ADR-0501-opt-in-kubernetes-security-administration-job.md

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ ServiceAccount 和 Pod 都关闭自动 token 挂载，不创建 Role、RoleBindi
 
 Secret volume 必须兼容 kubelet 的版本目录与 symlink 投影，默认 `0440` 以便固定的非 root group 读取；但 ADR-0500 的命令拒绝 symlink 和 group/world 权限。因此在既有 `@qinglong/cluster-admin/security-administration` 内增加专用 init stager，而不新建 package。
 
-stager 只接受固定的 `command.json`、`assertion.jwt`、`keyset.json` 和 `pepper`，分别有 64 KiB、16 KiB、256 KiB 与 256 B 上限。它解析 kubelet symlink 后仍要求 realpath 留在投影 authority 内，以 `O_NOFOLLOW` 打开最终文件，复验类型、权限、大小和读前/读后 inode 状态，再清零源 Buffer。目标目录必须不存在，由 stager 创建为 `0700`；文件以 `0600`、`fsync` 和 hard-link no-replace 发布到 1 MiB memory-backed `emptyDir`。任何输入失败都清理已发布目标，主容器不会启动。
+stager 只接受固定的 `command.json`、`assertion.jwt`、`keyset.json` 和 `pepper-keyring.json`，分别有 64 KiB、16 KiB、256 KiB 与 2 KiB 上限。Kubernetes 路径以 D-407 keyring 为唯一 canonical 输入；旧单 pepper 只保留在通用 CLI 兼容桥，不形成第二套 Kubernetes 配置模式。stager 解析 kubelet symlink 后仍要求 realpath 留在投影 authority 内，以 `O_NOFOLLOW` 打开最终文件，复验类型、权限、大小和读前/读后 inode 状态，再清零源 Buffer。目标目录必须不存在，由 stager 创建为 `0700`；文件以 `0600`、`fsync` 和 hard-link no-replace 发布到 1 MiB memory-backed `emptyDir`。任何输入失败都清理已发布目标，主容器不会启动。
 
 ### 3. 数据库和进程权限保持最小化
 
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ Identity 变更、revoke 和 audit query 使用无 delivery 的 base。只有 `c
 
 ## 验证
 
-- stager 聚焦测试覆盖真实 kubelet symlink 布局、`0700/0600` 收紧、持久 delivery 目录复验、realpath 逃逸、world-readable material、目标不可覆盖和 CLI 无敏感回显。
+- stager 聚焦测试覆盖真实 kubelet symlink 布局、2 KiB keyring 边界、`0700/0600` 收紧、持久 delivery 目录复验、realpath 逃逸、world-readable material、目标不可覆盖和 CLI 无敏感回显。
 - 部署审计冻结无 API token/RBAC、caller-driven/零重试/deadline/TTL、non-root/read-only/drop-all、资源上限、固定 CLI、内存私有输入、独立 admin credential、CloudNativePG egress、PVC delivery 和默认聚合不可达；失败注入覆盖权限扩大、非持久 delivery 与误入共享 aggregate。
 - `kubectl kustomize` 已分别渲染 base、CloudNativePG、credential-delivery 和 CloudNativePG + delivery 四个入口。
 - 18-package clean build/test 退出 0；当前 `cluster-admin` 为 456 total / 453 pass / 3 conditional skip / 0 fail，backend 为 1590 total / 1588 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail。

docs/adr/ADR-0502-bounded-cluster-api-credential-pepper-keyring.md

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ QingLong 3.0 同时服务低配路由设备与集群节点。pepper rotation 只
 
 `runtime-core` 提供 schema v1 keyring：一个 `activePepperKeyId` 和 1–2 个唯一 `{pepperKeyId,pepper}`。每个 ID 与 32-byte canonical base64url material 都使用既有 credential contract 校验，active ID 必须存在于 keys。原单 pepper 配置只通过显式 `legacy-v1` singleton bridge 保持兼容，不允许自动发现、环境合并或第三代历史 key。
 
-Cluster Control 可从 `QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE` 读取不超过 2 KiB 的 canonical 私有 JSON；它与旧 `QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER` 必须二选一。文件必须是 canonical absolute regular file、不可为 symlink、不可向 group/world 开放，并在稳定 inode/mtime/size 下读取。运行时不安装 watcher；切换 keyring 后由部署系统执行受控滚动重启。
+Cluster Control 可从 `QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE` 读取不超过 2 KiB 的 canonical 私有 JSON；它与旧 `QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER` 必须二选一。文件必须是 canonical absolute regular file、不可为 symlink、不可向 group/world 写入，并在稳定 inode/mtime/size 下读取。Kubernetes 以只读 Secret volume 和 Pod 专属 fsGroup 提供该文件。运行时不安装 watcher；切换 keyring 后由部署系统执行受控滚动重启。
 
 ### 2. 认证严格按 durable key ID 选择
 
@@ -70,10 +70,12 @@ CLI 在 `--pepper` 与 `--pepper-keyring` 中必须精确选择一个。keyring
 - Cluster Control 覆盖 old/new overlap、stored key exact selection、unknown stored key fail-closed、旧环境变量 bridge、私有 keyring 文件与双来源拒绝；
 - Security Administration 覆盖新 credential 绑定 active key、keyring CLI、引用查询 exact command/result 与旧单 pepper bridge；
 - PostgreSQL repository 覆盖数据库时间、latest active/unexpired 过滤、limit+1、空引用与畸形行 fail-closed；
-- 当前 `cluster-admin` 完整回归为 458 total / 455 pass / 3 conditional skip / 0 fail，`cluster-control` 为 281 total / 279 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail；D-407 聚焦构建与 33 项测试通过，`3.0.0-alpha.1` 身份下 18-package clean build/test 退出 0，backend 为 1592 total / 1590 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail。
+- Kubernetes Security Administration 只投影 `pepper-keyring.json`，stager 以 2 KiB 边界私有化到 memory-backed `0700/0600` 目录；常驻 Cluster Control 同样只挂载 keyring 文件，不再从 Secret 注入旧单值环境变量；
+- overlap-old-active、activate-new、旧代引用 1→0 与 contract-new 的三节点 K3s/CloudNativePG live 合同已经编码；它在三次 rollout 中保持两个反亲和 Cluster Control 副本，并以真实 `/api/v3` 请求证明 old/new 在 overlap 期间认证成功但因无 Project role 返回 403、old 在 contract 后返回 401、new 仍返回 403。content-free schema 只记录状态码、引用计数、1 个旧代/3 个新代 durable version 与审计计数；远程 live 门通过前不得宣称该 ceremony 已验收；
+- 当前 `cluster-admin` 完整回归为 459 total / 456 pass / 3 conditional skip / 0 fail，`cluster-control` 为 281 total / 279 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail；本轮 Kubernetes/report/stager 聚焦测试 23 项、相关共享 live fixture 静态测试 54 项以及三个部署审计通过，`3.0.0-alpha.1` 身份下 18-package clean build/test 完成（Worker Runtime 3 个 loopback 用例在沙箱外复验为 135/135），backend 为 1594 total / 1592 pass / 2 conditional skip / 0 fail。
 
 ## 影响与剩余门禁
 
 D-407 关闭了“数据库记录 key ID、运行时却只能使用一个固定 pepper”的结构性缺口。Edge/Standalone package、依赖和常驻路径零变化；Cluster 每个认证请求仍只解析 record 并计算一个摘要，管理引用检查只在显式短命令中打开一个 admin connection。
 
-D-406 Kubernetes stager/Job 仍只接受单 `pepper` 文件，不能用它执行双代 ceremony；在增加 keyring Secret 投影、失败注入和真实 K3s/CNPG overlap→activate→contract 验收前，Kubernetes 部署继续停留在 singleton bridge。远程管理 API/UI、双人复核/break-glass、material GC、audit retention/export/alert 和大规模引用查询计划也仍未完成。
+D-406 Kubernetes stager/Job 与常驻 Cluster Control manifest 已收敛为 keyring-only；旧单 pepper 只存在于通用 CLI/进程配置兼容桥。真实 K3s/CNPG overlap→activate→contract live 合同已实现但仍需在受审远程门中验收，因此当前不能把实现完成解释为 live ceremony 已关闭。远程管理 API/UI、双人复核/break-glass、material GC、audit retention/export/alert 和大规模引用查询计划也仍未完成。

docs/operations/ql3-alpha-candidate.md

@@ -12,6 +12,18 @@
 
 只有第一等级可以称为本阶段“用户可试运行产物”。Cluster archive 是工程集成产物，因为离线 per-architecture tag 不满足正式 Kubernetes deployment-lock 的 GHCR immutable digest 与 catalog provenance。
 
+## 当前阶段实物（2026-08-26）
+
+当前已经存在一份 owner-private、可重新加载的 Local arm64 候选，而不是只有源码或 Dockerfile：
+
+- source revision：`b45a5e04b7f49ffdadd5117b6b5253c6f1c05430`；
+- image：`qinglong3-local-application:ci-arm64`，image ID `sha256:59e39cd0c71e5a5c2bc99c599d5aa240c59f215008f8d12fde4243c984274426`；
+- archive SHA-256：`58bbc250833c9e86321718aea70ac0a637699b84c18531fa7a82b35e90b7fa83`；
+- 同目录包含 `manifest.json`、`verification-evidence.json`、CycloneDX 1.5 SBOM、`README.md` 与 `SHA256SUMS`，全套 checksum 和 `docker load` 后身份/smoke 已复验；
+- HIGH/CRITICAL OS vulnerability 为 0；128 MiB、0.5 CPU、read-only、no-network、drop-all 下的 Edge/Standalone fresh lifecycle 与 SQLite integrity 已通过；原生 Linux arm64 CI 另行覆盖 macOS bind-mount 无法等价证明的 Local API cancellation。
+
+该实物保存在工作区忽略目录，不进入 Git，也尚未上传 GitHub。远端 40/40 CI 与原生 arm64 image job 已通过；公开下载仍需维护者明确授权上传。它足以作为单架构内部试运行材料，但在 amd64 同级 archive 和远端 artifact identity 未齐全前，不得把它升级为完整双架构阶段里程碑或公开 release。
+
 ## 生成
 
 在 GitHub Actions 手动运行 `QingLong 3.0 CI`，选择目标 `next` 提交并设置 `produce_alpha_artifacts=true`。普通 push/PR 不上传大镜像，避免每次开发提交都制造伪里程碑和额外存储成本。

docs/operations/ql3-cluster-security-administration.md

@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ Cluster Control 使用 `QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE`；它与旧 `QL3
 - `credential-delivery`：在 base 上增加调用方提供的 RWO PVC；
 - `cloudnative-pg-credential-delivery`：CloudNativePG 与 PVC 交付的组合。
 
-把 `input-secret.example.yaml` 复制到仓库外的私有目录，替换四个占位值，并保持 `immutable: true`。示例不属于任何 Kustomization。非签发操作不要选择 delivery overlay；`credential.issue` / `credential.rotate` 必须先按 `delivery-pvc.example.yaml` 创建受加密、受访问控制的 PVC，并把 manifest 中的 `replace-with-unique-delivery.json` 改为本次唯一文件名。
+把 `input-secret.example.yaml` 复制到仓库外的私有目录，替换四个占位值，并保持 `immutable: true`。第四项必须是最多 old/new 两代、2 KiB 内的 canonical `pepper-keyring.json`；Kubernetes 不接受旧单 pepper 文件。示例不属于任何 Kustomization。非签发操作不要选择 delivery overlay；`credential.issue` / `credential.rotate` 必须先按 `delivery-pvc.example.yaml` 创建受加密、受访问控制的 PVC，并把 manifest 中的 `replace-with-unique-delivery.json` 改为本次唯一文件名。
 
 以 CloudNativePG 的无 delivery audit query 为例：
 
@@ -189,4 +189,4 @@ kubectl logs job/ql3-security-administration -n qinglong3-system \
 
 ## 当前边界
 
-本入口没有远程 API/UI、双人复核或 break-glass、自动 pepper rotation/material GC、audit retention/export/alert。D-407 已提供 old/new 双代 keyring、active issuance、exact-key authentication 和退休前引用检查，但 active 切换仍由显式配置更新加滚动重启完成。现有 Kubernetes Job stager 只接受单 pepper，尚未完成 keyring Secret 投影和真实 overlap→activate→contract live gate，因此不能用 D-406 模板宣称 Kubernetes pepper rotation 已完成。可选 Job 的静态契约与单主机 K3s + PostgreSQL/PVC ceremony 已验收，但仍不默认安装，也不证明生产基础设施 HA/DR 或存储加密；admin database credential 始终不得进入常驻 Cluster Control。命令决策见 [ADR-0500](../adr/ADR-0500-short-lived-cluster-security-administration-command.md)，部署决策见 [ADR-0501](../adr/ADR-0501-opt-in-kubernetes-security-administration-job.md)，双代 keyring 见 [ADR-0502](../adr/ADR-0502-bounded-cluster-api-credential-pepper-keyring.md)。
+本入口没有远程管理 API/UI、双人复核或 break-glass、自动 pepper rotation/material GC、audit retention/export/alert。D-407 已提供 old/new 双代 keyring、active issuance、exact-key authentication 和退休前引用检查；active 切换仍由显式 Secret 更新加受控滚动重启完成。Kubernetes Job stager 与常驻 Cluster Control manifest 已收敛为 keyring-only；overlap→activate→contract live 合同会在三次 rollout 中保持两个反亲和 Control 副本，并用真实 `/api/v3` 请求区分“认证成功但未授权”的 403 与旧 credential 收缩后被拒绝的 401。该合同已编码并通过聚焦/静态门，但远程三节点 K3s/CNPG live 验收仍待执行，因此不能宣称 Kubernetes pepper rotation 已完成；它的内部 HTTP probe 也不替代外部 ingress TLS 验收。可选 Job 仍不默认安装，也不证明生产基础设施 HA/DR 或存储加密；admin database credential 始终不得进入常驻 Cluster Control。命令决策见 [ADR-0500](../adr/ADR-0500-short-lived-cluster-security-administration-command.md)，部署决策见 [ADR-0501](../adr/ADR-0501-opt-in-kubernetes-security-administration-job.md)，双代 keyring 见 [ADR-0502](../adr/ADR-0502-bounded-cluster-api-credential-pepper-keyring.md)。

packages/ql3-cluster-admin/src/security-administration/clusterAdministrationKubernetesInputStage.ts

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const INPUTS = Object.freeze([
   Object.freeze({ name: 'command.json', maximumBytes: 64 * 1024 }),
   Object.freeze({ name: 'assertion.jwt', maximumBytes: 16 * 1024 }),
   Object.freeze({ name: 'keyset.json', maximumBytes: 256 * 1024 }),
-  Object.freeze({ name: 'pepper', maximumBytes: 256 }),
+  Object.freeze({ name: 'pepper-keyring.json', maximumBytes: 2 * 1024 }),
 ]);
 
 export interface ClusterAdministrationKubernetesInputStagePaths {

packages/ql3-cluster-admin/test/clusterAdministrationKubernetesInputStage.test.cjs

@@ -39,7 +39,11 @@ function projectedInput() {
     'command.json': '{"schemaVersion":1,"operation":"audit.list"}\n',
     'assertion.jwt': 'signed.assertion.value',
     'keyset.json': '{"keys":[]}',
-    pepper: 'A'.repeat(43),
+    'pepper-keyring.json': JSON.stringify({
+      schemaVersion: 1,
+      activePepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1',
+      keys: [{ pepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1', pepper: 'A'.repeat(43) }],
+    }),
   };
   for (const [name, value] of Object.entries(inputs)) {
     const versionFile = join(versionDirectory, name);
@@ -88,6 +92,31 @@ test('copies a Kubernetes projected Secret into a private immutable input bounda
   assert.equal(JSON.stringify(result).includes('A'.repeat(43)), false);
 });
 
+test('rejects a projected pepper keyring larger than the runtime boundary', () => {
+  const fixture = projectedInput();
+  const keyringFile = resolve(
+    fixture.sourceDirectory,
+    '..data',
+    'pepper-keyring.json',
+  );
+  chmodSync(keyringFile, 0o640);
+  writeFileSync(
+    keyringFile,
+    'A'.repeat(2 * 1024 + 1),
+  );
+  chmodSync(keyringFile, 0o440);
+
+  assert.throws(
+    () =>
+      stageClusterAdministrationKubernetesInputs({
+        sourceDirectory: fixture.sourceDirectory,
+        targetDirectory: fixture.targetDirectory,
+      }),
+    /file authority is invalid/,
+  );
+  assert.throws(() => lstatSync(fixture.targetDirectory));
+});
+
 test('accepts only the exact root-owned sticky Kubernetes mount authority', () => {
   assert.equal(
     isClusterAdministrationProjectedSourceDirectoryAuthority({

scripts/ql3-cloudnativepg-barman-live-contract.cjs

@@ -676,7 +676,14 @@ function postgresRestoreApplicationProbeResources({
     kind: 'List',
     items: Object.freeze([
       kubernetesSecret('ql3-dr', secretName, {
-        'api-credential-pepper': apiCredentialPepper,
+        'api-credential-pepper-keyring.json': `${JSON.stringify({
+          schemaVersion: 1,
+          activePepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1',
+          keys: [{
+            pepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1',
+            pepper: apiCredentialPepper,
+          }],
+        })}\n`,
       }),
       {
         apiVersion: 'apps/v1',
@@ -753,11 +760,10 @@ function postgresRestoreApplicationProbeResources({
                       value: `qinglong3-dr-${suffix}`,
                     },
                     { name: 'QL3_POSTGRES_MAX_CONNECTIONS', value: '2' },
-                    secretValue(
-                      'QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER',
-                      secretName,
-                      'api-credential-pepper',
-                    ),
+                    {
+                      name: 'QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE',
+                      value: '/var/run/secrets/qinglong3/api-credential/keyring.json',
+                    },
                   ],
                   ports: [{ name: 'http', containerPort: 5800 }],
                   startupProbe: {
@@ -794,6 +800,11 @@ function postgresRestoreApplicationProbeResources({
                       mountPath: '/var/run/secrets/qinglong3/postgres',
                       readOnly: true,
                     },
+                    {
+                      name: 'api-credential-keyring',
+                      mountPath: '/var/run/secrets/qinglong3/api-credential',
+                      readOnly: true,
+                    },
                   ],
                 },
               ],
@@ -810,6 +821,17 @@ function postgresRestoreApplicationProbeResources({
                     items: [{ key: 'ca.crt', path: 'ca.crt' }],
                   },
                 },
+                {
+                  name: 'api-credential-keyring',
+                  secret: {
+                    secretName,
+                    defaultMode: 288,
+                    items: [{
+                      key: 'api-credential-pepper-keyring.json',
+                      path: 'keyring.json',
+                    }],
+                  },
+                },
               ],
             },
           },

scripts/ql3-cloudnativepg-deployment-audit.cjs

@@ -354,13 +354,13 @@ function assertSecretBoundary(readFile, root, findings) {
     if (name === 'ql3-cluster-control-runtime') {
       if (
         secret?.type !== 'Opaque' ||
-        secret?.stringData?.['api-credential-pepper'] !==
-          'REPLACE_WITH_CANONICAL_32_BYTE_BASE64URL'
+        secret?.stringData?.['api-credential-pepper-keyring.json'] !==
+          '{"schemaVersion":1,"activePepperKeyId":"REPLACE_WITH_ACTIVE_KEY_ID","keys":[{"pepperKeyId":"REPLACE_WITH_ACTIVE_KEY_ID","pepper":"REPLACE_WITH_CANONICAL_32_BYTE_BASE64URL"}]}\n'
       ) {
         findings.push(
           finding(
             'QL3_CNPG_RUNTIME_SECRET_EXAMPLE',
-            'runtime Secret example may contain only the placeholder credential pepper',
+            'runtime Secret example must contain only the bounded placeholder credential pepper keyring',
           ),
         );
       }
@@ -503,6 +503,7 @@ function assertMigrationBinding(readFile, root, findings) {
     env.has('QL3_POSTGRES_MIGRATION_URL') ||
     env.has('QL3_POSTGRES_RUNTIME_URL') ||
     env.has('QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER') ||
+    env.has('QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE') ||
     env.get('QL3_POSTGRES_MIGRATION_HOST')?.value !== PRIMARY_DNS ||
     env.get('QL3_POSTGRES_MIGRATION_PORT')?.value !== '5432' ||
     env.get('QL3_POSTGRES_MIGRATION_DATABASE')?.value !== 'qinglong' ||

scripts/ql3-cloudnativepg-live-contract.cjs

@@ -760,7 +760,11 @@ async function main() {
       );
     }
     applySecret('ql3-cluster-control-runtime', 'Opaque', {
-      'api-credential-pepper': randomSecret(),
+      'api-credential-pepper-keyring.json': `${JSON.stringify({
+        schemaVersion: 1,
+        activePepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1',
+        keys: [{ pepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1', pepper: randomSecret() }],
+      })}\n`,
     });
     const workerIngressTls = createWorkerIngressTls(tempDirectory);
     applySecret('ql3-cluster-worker-ingress', 'Opaque', {

scripts/ql3-cluster-deployment-audit.cjs

@@ -796,6 +796,10 @@ function assertKubernetes(readFile, root, findings) {
       'QL3_POSTGRES_TLS_CA_FILE',
       '/var/run/secrets/qinglong3/postgres-runtime/ca.crt',
     ],
+    [
+      'QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE',
+      '/var/run/secrets/qinglong3/postgres-runtime/api-credential-pepper-keyring.json',
+    ],
     ['QL3_WORKER_INGRESS_ENABLED', 'true'],
     ['QL3_WORKER_INGRESS_HOST', '0.0.0.0'],
     ['QL3_WORKER_INGRESS_PORT', '5801'],
@@ -854,7 +858,14 @@ function assertKubernetes(readFile, root, findings) {
     runtimeCaVolume?.secret?.secretName !== 'ql3-cluster-control-runtime' ||
     runtimeCaVolume?.secret?.defaultMode !== 0o444 ||
     JSON.stringify(runtimeCaVolume?.secret?.items) !==
-      JSON.stringify([{ key: 'postgres-ca.crt', path: 'ca.crt' }])
+      JSON.stringify([
+        { key: 'postgres-ca.crt', path: 'ca.crt' },
+        {
+          key: 'api-credential-pepper-keyring.json',
+          path: 'api-credential-pepper-keyring.json',
+        },
+      ]) ||
+    env.has('QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER')
   ) {
     findings.push(
       finding(
@@ -866,7 +877,6 @@ function assertKubernetes(readFile, root, findings) {
   for (const [name, key] of [
     ['QL3_POSTGRES_RUNTIME_URL', 'postgres-runtime-url'],
     ['QL3_POSTGRES_TLS_SERVERNAME', 'postgres-tls-servername'],
-    ['QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER', 'api-credential-pepper'],
   ]) {
     const secret = env.get(name)?.valueFrom?.secretKeyRef;
     if (secret?.name !== 'ql3-cluster-control-runtime' || secret?.key !== key) {

scripts/ql3-plugin-package-recovery-e2e-live-contract.cjs

@@ -1483,7 +1483,14 @@ function applyRuntimeAfterRecovery(recoveryJob, migrationJobValue, secrets) {
       type: 'Opaque',
       stringData: {
         'postgres-runtime-url': `postgresql://ql3_runtime:${secrets.runtime}@${POSTGRES_NAME}:5432/qinglong`,
-        'api-credential-pepper': randomBytes(32).toString('base64url'),
+        'api-credential-pepper-keyring.json': `${JSON.stringify({
+          schemaVersion: 1,
+          activePepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1',
+          keys: [{
+            pepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1',
+            pepper: randomBytes(32).toString('base64url'),
+          }],
+        })}\n`,
       },
     },
     'create runtime-only credential after recovery success',
@@ -1535,21 +1542,34 @@ function applyRuntimeAfterRecovery(recoveryJob, migrationJobValue, secrets) {
         },
       },
       {
-        name: 'QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER',
-        valueFrom: {
-          secretKeyRef: {
-            name: 'ql3-cluster-control-runtime',
-            key: 'api-credential-pepper',
+        name: 'QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE',
+        value: '/var/run/secrets/qinglong3/api-credential/keyring.json',
       },
-        },
+    ];
+    container.volumeMounts = [
+      { name: 'tmp', mountPath: '/tmp' },
+      {
+        name: 'api-credential-keyring',
+        mountPath: '/var/run/secrets/qinglong3/api-credential',
+        readOnly: true,
       },
     ];
-    container.volumeMounts = [{ name: 'tmp', mountPath: '/tmp' }];
     resource.spec.template.spec.volumes = [
       {
         name: 'tmp',
         emptyDir: { medium: 'Memory', sizeLimit: '16Mi' },
       },
+      {
+        name: 'api-credential-keyring',
+        secret: {
+          secretName: 'ql3-cluster-control-runtime',
+          defaultMode: 288,
+          items: [{
+            key: 'api-credential-pepper-keyring.json',
+            path: 'keyring.json',
+          }],
+        },
+      },
     ];
   }
   for (const resource of resources) {

scripts/ql3-security-administration-kubernetes-audit.cjs

@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ function auditSecurityAdministrationKubernetes(options = {}) {
       `--command=${PRIVATE_ROOT}/input/command.json`,
       `--assertion=${PRIVATE_ROOT}/input/assertion.jwt`,
       `--keyset=${PRIVATE_ROOT}/input/keyset.json`,
-      `--pepper=${PRIVATE_ROOT}/input/pepper`,
+      `--pepper-keyring=${PRIVATE_ROOT}/input/pepper-keyring.json`,
     ];
     if (
       JSON.stringify(stager?.command) !==
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ function auditSecurityAdministrationKubernetes(options = {}) {
           'command.json',
           'assertion.jwt',
           'keyset.json',
-          'pepper',
+          'pepper-keyring.json',
         ]) ||
       privateInput?.emptyDir?.medium !== 'Memory' ||
       privateInput?.emptyDir?.sizeLimit !== '1Mi' ||
@@ -241,7 +241,12 @@ function auditSecurityAdministrationKubernetes(options = {}) {
       inputExample?.metadata?.name !== 'ql3-security-administration-input' ||
       JSON.stringify(Object.keys(inputExample?.stringData ?? {}).sort()) !==
         JSON.stringify(
-          ['command.json', 'assertion.jwt', 'keyset.json', 'pepper'].sort(),
+          [
+            'command.json',
+            'assertion.jwt',
+            'keyset.json',
+            'pepper-keyring.json',
+          ].sort(),
         ) ||
       JSON.stringify(aggregate).includes('security-administration')
     ) {

scripts/ql3-security-administration-kubernetes-live-audit.cjs

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const LIMITATIONS = Object.freeze([
   'CloudNativePG inside one Docker host is not infrastructure STONITH or disaster-recovery evidence',
   'the local-path ReadWriteOnce volume is not encrypted production CSI custody evidence',
   'a dedicated root storage-fixture Job constrains the local-path volume root before every non-root administration Job',
+  'the credential probe reaches the production HTTP surface inside the isolated cluster and is not external ingress TLS evidence',
 ]);
 const BANNED_KEYS = new Set([
   'assertion',
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ function validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(report) {
       'architecture',
       'kubernetesImageId',
       'administrationImageId',
+      'controlImageId',
       'cniName',
       'cniDistributionBinding',
       'controlPlaneNodes',
@@ -154,6 +156,7 @@ function validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(report) {
     !['amd64', 'arm64'].includes(platform?.architecture) ||
     !isSha256(platform?.kubernetesImageId) ||
     !isSha256(platform?.administrationImageId) ||
+    !isSha256(platform?.controlImageId) ||
     platform?.cniName !== 'flannel' ||
     platform?.cniDistributionBinding !== 'rancher/k3s:v1.34.3-k3s1' ||
     platform?.controlPlaneNodes !== 1 ||
@@ -213,6 +216,10 @@ function validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(report) {
       'operations',
       'completedJobs',
       'failedJobs',
+      'authenticationProbeJobs',
+      'controlReplicas',
+      'controlRollouts',
+      'controlReplicaAntiAffinity',
       'callerDriven',
       'backoffLimit',
       'activeDeadlineSeconds',
@@ -221,19 +228,39 @@ function validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(report) {
       'serviceAccountTokenMounted',
       'rbacGranted',
       'responseLossReplayObserved',
+      'overlapGenerationCount',
+      'contractedGenerationCount',
+      'activeGenerationChanged',
+      'oldReferencesBeforeActivation',
+      'oldReferencesAfterActivation',
+      'oldReferencesAfterConvergence',
+      'oldAuthenticationBeforeActivation',
+      'oldAuthenticationDuringOverlap',
+      'newAuthenticationDuringOverlap',
+      'oldAuthenticationRejectedAfterConvergence',
+      'newAuthenticationAfterContraction',
+      'contractedToActiveGeneration',
       'sensitiveMaterialReported',
     ]) ||
     JSON.stringify(ceremony?.operations) !==
       JSON.stringify([
         'identity.register',
         'audit.list',
-        'credential.issue',
-        'credential.issue.replay',
-        'credential.rotate',
-        'credential.revoke',
+        'credential.issue.old',
+        'credential.issue.old.replay',
+        'credential.key-references.before-activate',
+        'credential.issue.new',
+        'credential.rotate.new',
+        'credential.key-references.after-activate',
+        'credential.revoke.old',
+        'credential.key-references.after-converge',
       ]) ||
-    ceremony?.completedJobs !== 6 ||
+    ceremony?.completedJobs !== 10 ||
     ceremony?.failedJobs !== 1 ||
+    ceremony?.authenticationProbeJobs !== 5 ||
+    ceremony?.controlReplicas !== 2 ||
+    ceremony?.controlRollouts !== 3 ||
+    ceremony?.controlReplicaAntiAffinity !== true ||
     ceremony?.callerDriven !== true ||
     ceremony?.backoffLimit !== 0 ||
     ceremony?.activeDeadlineSeconds !== 300 ||
@@ -242,12 +269,24 @@ function validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(report) {
     ceremony?.serviceAccountTokenMounted !== false ||
     ceremony?.rbacGranted !== false ||
     ceremony?.responseLossReplayObserved !== true ||
+    ceremony?.overlapGenerationCount !== 2 ||
+    ceremony?.contractedGenerationCount !== 1 ||
+    ceremony?.activeGenerationChanged !== true ||
+    ceremony?.oldReferencesBeforeActivation !== 1 ||
+    ceremony?.oldReferencesAfterActivation !== 1 ||
+    ceremony?.oldReferencesAfterConvergence !== 0 ||
+    ceremony?.oldAuthenticationBeforeActivation !== true ||
+    ceremony?.oldAuthenticationDuringOverlap !== true ||
+    ceremony?.newAuthenticationDuringOverlap !== true ||
+    ceremony?.oldAuthenticationRejectedAfterConvergence !== true ||
+    ceremony?.newAuthenticationAfterContraction !== true ||
+    ceremony?.contractedToActiveGeneration !== true ||
     ceremony?.sensitiveMaterialReported !== false
   ) {
     findings.push(
       finding(
         'QL3_SECURITY_ADMINISTRATION_KUBERNETES_LIVE_CEREMONY',
-        'six serial caller-created commands plus one failed input stage must use the exact tokenless Job contract',
+        'ten serial caller-created commands, five content-free authentication probes and one failed input stage must prove the exact two-replica overlap, activation, convergence and contraction contract',
       ),
     );
   }
@@ -299,7 +338,7 @@ function validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(report) {
     delivery?.fixtureProvisionerRanAsRoot !== true ||
     delivery?.privateDirectoryMode !== '0700' ||
     delivery?.fileMode !== '0600' ||
-    delivery?.fileCount !== 2 ||
+    delivery?.fileCount !== 3 ||
     !isSha256(delivery?.issueDigest) ||
     !isSha256(delivery?.rotationDigest) ||
     delivery?.issueDigest === delivery?.rotationDigest ||
@@ -342,28 +381,42 @@ function validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(report) {
     !exactKeys(durability, [
       'identityVersion',
       'identityStatus',
-      'credentialVersion',
-      'credentialState',
+      'oldCredentialVersion',
+      'oldCredentialState',
+      'newCredentialVersion',
+      'newCredentialState',
       'identityMutationCount',
       'credentialMutationCount',
       'issueMutationCount',
       'credentialVersionCount',
+      'oldGenerationVersionCount',
+      'newGenerationVersionCount',
+      'latestGenerationsAreNew',
       'allowedAuditCount',
+      'authenticationDeniedAuditCount',
+      'authenticationRejectedAuditCount',
     ]) ||
     durability?.identityVersion !== 1 ||
     durability?.identityStatus !== 'active' ||
-    durability?.credentialVersion !== 3 ||
-    durability?.credentialState !== 'revoked' ||
+    durability?.oldCredentialVersion !== 2 ||
+    durability?.oldCredentialState !== 'revoked' ||
+    durability?.newCredentialVersion !== 2 ||
+    durability?.newCredentialState !== 'active' ||
     durability?.identityMutationCount !== 1 ||
-    durability?.credentialMutationCount !== 3 ||
+    durability?.credentialMutationCount !== 4 ||
     durability?.issueMutationCount !== 1 ||
-    durability?.credentialVersionCount !== 3 ||
-    durability?.allowedAuditCount !== 4
+    durability?.credentialVersionCount !== 4 ||
+    durability?.oldGenerationVersionCount !== 1 ||
+    durability?.newGenerationVersionCount !== 3 ||
+    durability?.latestGenerationsAreNew !== true ||
+    durability?.allowedAuditCount !== 5 ||
+    durability?.authenticationDeniedAuditCount !== 4 ||
+    durability?.authenticationRejectedAuditCount !== 1
   ) {
     findings.push(
       finding(
         'QL3_SECURITY_ADMINISTRATION_KUBERNETES_LIVE_DURABILITY',
-        'the database must retain one identity mutation and exactly three credential generations without replay duplication',
+        'the database must retain one old-key version followed by three new-key versions across two credentials, exact replay and the expected authentication audits',
       ),
     );
   }
@@ -375,6 +428,9 @@ function validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(report) {
       'evidenceJobsDeleted',
       'storageProvisionJobDeleted',
       'deliveryVolumeClaimDeleted',
+      'controlDeploymentDeleted',
+      'controlServiceDeleted',
+      'controlRuntimeSecretDeleted',
     ])
   ) {
     findings.push(
@@ -392,6 +448,7 @@ function validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(report) {
       'realKubeletSecretProjection',
       'realAdministrationProductCommands',
       'realPersistentCredentialCustody',
+      'realClusterControlAuthenticationRotation',
       'responseLossReplay',
       'failedInputStageClosed',
       'leastPrivilege',

scripts/ql3-worker-kubernetes-rollout-live-contract.cjs

@@ -1617,6 +1617,25 @@ async function main(argv = process.argv.slice(2)) {
         'tls.crt': pkiMaterial.oldClientCertificate,
       },
     });
+    apply({
+      apiVersion: 'v1',
+      kind: 'Secret',
+      metadata: {
+        name: 'ql3-worker-control-live-runtime',
+        namespace: NAMESPACE,
+      },
+      type: 'Opaque',
+      stringData: {
+        'api-credential-pepper-keyring.json': `${JSON.stringify({
+          schemaVersion: 1,
+          activePepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1',
+          keys: [{
+            pepperKeyId: 'legacy-v1',
+            pepper: Buffer.alloc(32, 29).toString('base64url'),
+          }],
+        })}\n`,
+      },
+    });
     const workerArchitecture = remoteWorkerArchitectureForNodeRuntime(
       process.arch, process.config.variables.arm_version,
     );
@@ -1700,8 +1719,8 @@ async function main(argv = process.argv.slice(2)) {
                 { name: 'QL3_POSTGRES_ALLOW_INSECURE', value: 'true' },
                 { name: 'QL3_POSTGRES_MAX_CONNECTIONS', value: '2' },
                 {
-                  name: 'QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER',
-                  value: Buffer.alloc(32, 29).toString('base64url'),
+                  name: 'QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE',
+                  value: '/var/run/secrets/qinglong3/api-credential/keyring.json',
                 },
                 { name: 'QL3_WORKER_INGRESS_ENABLED', value: 'true' },
                 { name: 'QL3_WORKER_INGRESS_HOST', value: '0.0.0.0' },
@@ -1738,14 +1757,37 @@ async function main(argv = process.argv.slice(2)) {
                 timeoutSeconds: 1,
                 failureThreshold: 20,
               },
-              volumeMounts: [{ name: 'tls', mountPath: '/tls', readOnly: true }],
+              volumeMounts: [
+                { name: 'tls', mountPath: '/tls', readOnly: true },
+                {
+                  name: 'api-credential-keyring',
+                  mountPath: '/var/run/secrets/qinglong3/api-credential',
+                  readOnly: true,
+                },
+              ],
             }],
-            volumes: [{
+            volumes: [
+              {
                 name: 'tls',
-              secret: { secretName: 'ql3-worker-ingress-tls-live', defaultMode: 288 },
+                secret: {
+                  secretName: 'ql3-worker-ingress-tls-live',
+                  defaultMode: 288,
+                },
+              },
+              {
+                name: 'api-credential-keyring',
+                secret: {
+                  secretName: 'ql3-worker-control-live-runtime',
+                  defaultMode: 288,
+                  items: [{
+                    key: 'api-credential-pepper-keyring.json',
+                    path: 'keyring.json',
                   }],
                 },
               },
+            ],
+          },
+        },
       },
     });
     kubectl([

test/back/ql3SecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveAudit.test.cjs

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ function report() {
       architecture: 'amd64',
       kubernetesImageId: digest('1'),
       administrationImageId: digest('2'),
+      controlImageId: digest('4'),
       cniName: 'flannel',
       cniDistributionBinding: 'rancher/k3s:v1.34.3-k3s1',
       controlPlaneNodes: 1,
@@ -45,13 +46,21 @@ function report() {
       operations: [
         'identity.register',
         'audit.list',
-        'credential.issue',
-        'credential.issue.replay',
-        'credential.rotate',
-        'credential.revoke',
+        'credential.issue.old',
+        'credential.issue.old.replay',
+        'credential.key-references.before-activate',
+        'credential.issue.new',
+        'credential.rotate.new',
+        'credential.key-references.after-activate',
+        'credential.revoke.old',
+        'credential.key-references.after-converge',
       ],
-      completedJobs: 6,
+      completedJobs: 10,
       failedJobs: 1,
+      authenticationProbeJobs: 5,
+      controlReplicas: 2,
+      controlRollouts: 3,
+      controlReplicaAntiAffinity: true,
       callerDriven: true,
       backoffLimit: 0,
       activeDeadlineSeconds: 300,
@@ -60,6 +69,18 @@ function report() {
       serviceAccountTokenMounted: false,
       rbacGranted: false,
       responseLossReplayObserved: true,
+      overlapGenerationCount: 2,
+      contractedGenerationCount: 1,
+      activeGenerationChanged: true,
+      oldReferencesBeforeActivation: 1,
+      oldReferencesAfterActivation: 1,
+      oldReferencesAfterConvergence: 0,
+      oldAuthenticationBeforeActivation: true,
+      oldAuthenticationDuringOverlap: true,
+      newAuthenticationDuringOverlap: true,
+      oldAuthenticationRejectedAfterConvergence: true,
+      newAuthenticationAfterContraction: true,
+      contractedToActiveGeneration: true,
       sensitiveMaterialReported: false,
     },
     inputBoundary: {
@@ -80,7 +101,7 @@ function report() {
       fixtureProvisionerRanAsRoot: true,
       privateDirectoryMode: '0700',
       fileMode: '0600',
-      fileCount: 2,
+      fileCount: 3,
       issueDigest: digest('4'),
       rotationDigest: digest('5'),
       distinctRotationMaterial: true,
@@ -100,13 +121,20 @@ function report() {
     durability: {
       identityVersion: 1,
       identityStatus: 'active',
-      credentialVersion: 3,
-      credentialState: 'revoked',
+      oldCredentialVersion: 2,
+      oldCredentialState: 'revoked',
+      newCredentialVersion: 2,
+      newCredentialState: 'active',
       identityMutationCount: 1,
-      credentialMutationCount: 3,
+      credentialMutationCount: 4,
       issueMutationCount: 1,
-      credentialVersionCount: 3,
-      allowedAuditCount: 4,
+      credentialVersionCount: 4,
+      oldGenerationVersionCount: 1,
+      newGenerationVersionCount: 3,
+      latestGenerationsAreNew: true,
+      allowedAuditCount: 5,
+      authenticationDeniedAuditCount: 4,
+      authenticationRejectedAuditCount: 1,
     },
     cleanup: {
       jobsDeleted: true,
@@ -114,6 +142,9 @@ function report() {
       evidenceJobsDeleted: true,
       storageProvisionJobDeleted: true,
       deliveryVolumeClaimDeleted: true,
+      controlDeploymentDeleted: true,
+      controlServiceDeleted: true,
+      controlRuntimeSecretDeleted: true,
     },
     gates: {
       realThreeNodeKubernetes: true,
@@ -121,6 +152,7 @@ function report() {
       realKubeletSecretProjection: true,
       realAdministrationProductCommands: true,
       realPersistentCredentialCustody: true,
+      realClusterControlAuthenticationRotation: true,
       responseLossReplay: true,
       failedInputStageClosed: true,
       leastPrivilege: true,
@@ -142,6 +174,7 @@ test('rejects widened authority, false custody and replay duplication', () => {
   candidate.ceremony.serviceAccountTokenMounted = true;
   candidate.deliveryCustody.noReplaceReplayPreserved = false;
   candidate.durability.issueMutationCount = 2;
+  candidate.ceremony.oldReferencesAfterConvergence = 1;
   candidate.gates.passed = false;
   const codes = validateSecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveReport(
     candidate,

test/back/ql3SecurityAdministrationKubernetesLiveContract.test.cjs

@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ const { test } = require('node:test');
 
 const {
   auditListCommand,
+  clusterControlResources,
+  credentialAuthenticationProbeSource,
   credentialIssueCommand,
   credentialRevokeCommand,
   credentialRotateCommand,
@@ -188,6 +190,43 @@ test('waits for per-Pod network policy before mounting private material', () =>
   assert.doesNotMatch(source, /readFile|process\.env|console\.log/);
 });
 
+test('runs the credential ceremony against two real anti-affine control replicas', () => {
+  const [service, deployment] = clusterControlResources(
+    'qinglong3-cluster-control:test',
+  );
+  assert.equal(service.kind, 'Service');
+  assert.equal(service.spec.ports[0].port, 5800);
+  assert.equal(deployment.kind, 'Deployment');
+  assert.equal(deployment.spec.replicas, 2);
+  assert.equal(deployment.spec.strategy.rollingUpdate.maxUnavailable, 0);
+  assert.equal(
+    deployment.spec.template.spec.affinity.podAntiAffinity
+      .requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution[0].topologyKey,
+    'kubernetes.io/hostname',
+  );
+  const environment = deployment.spec.template.spec.containers[0].env;
+  assert.ok(
+    environment.some(
+      (entry) =>
+        entry.name === 'QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER_KEYRING_FILE' &&
+        entry.value.endsWith('/keyring.json'),
+    ),
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    environment.some((entry) => entry.name === 'QL3_API_CREDENTIAL_PEPPER'),
+    false,
+  );
+});
+
+test('keeps the real authentication probe content-free', () => {
+  const source = credentialAuthenticationProbeSource();
+  assert.match(source, /ql3-security-live-control/);
+  assert.match(source, /\/api\/v3\/projects\/prj_default\/runs\?limit=1/);
+  assert.match(source, /observedStatus:observed/);
+  assert.match(source, /bytes\?\.fill\(0\)/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(source, /console\.log|process\.env/);
+});
+
 test('live runner remains opt-in, reviewed, cleanup-bound and log-free', () => {
   const source = fs.readFileSync(
     path.resolve(
@@ -206,7 +245,15 @@ test('live runner remains opt-in, reviewed, cleanup-bound and log-free', () => {
   assert.match(source, /net\.bridge\.bridge-nf-call-iptables=1/);
   assert.match(source, /wait-network-policy/);
   assert.match(source, /projectedMode: 0o444/);
-  assert.match(source, /credential\.issue\.replay/);
+  assert.match(source, /credential\.issue\.old\.replay/);
+  assert.match(source, /ql3-security-live-auth-old-before-activate/);
+  assert.match(source, /ql3-security-live-auth-old-overlap/);
+  assert.match(source, /ql3-security-live-auth-new-overlap/);
+  assert.match(source, /ql3-security-live-auth-old-contracted/);
+  assert.match(source, /ql3-security-live-auth-new-contracted/);
+  assert.match(source, /expectedStatus: 401/);
+  assert.match(source, /expectedStatus: 403/);
+  assert.match(source, /controlRollouts: 3/);
   assert.match(source, /FallbackToLogsOnError/);
   assert.match(source, /failureMessage: 'rejected'/);
   assert.match(