| # OAM Failure Modes |
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| ## Secure Packet Transfer Integrity Stack v0.1 |
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| OAM is used here as a degradation and hard-fault diagnostic layer. It identifies where packet-transfer claims can fail under pressure. |
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| ## Failure modes |
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| ### 1. Payload mismatch |
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| The destination payload does not match the source payload under verification. |
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| - Primary pressure: `payload_fidelity_failure` |
| - Likely state: RED |
| - Example signals: hash mismatch, corrupted payload, unexpected transform, partial transfer. |
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| ### 2. Replay pressure |
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| Old, duplicated, or captured traffic is presented as valid. |
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| - Primary pressure: `replay_pressure` |
| - Likely state: RED if detected or anti-replay protection fails. |
| - Example signals: reused nonce, invalid sequence, duplicate signed packet, timestamp anomaly. |
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| ### 3. Downgrade attempt |
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| A stronger protocol, cipher suite, setting, or protection state is weakened without authorization. |
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| - Primary pressure: `downgrade_attempt` |
| - Likely state: RED |
| - Example signals: negotiated weaker version, forced fallback, policy mismatch. |
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| ### 4. Man-in-the-middle pressure |
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| An intermediary attempts to observe, alter, impersonate, or redirect the session. |
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| - Primary pressure: `mitm_pressure` |
| - Likely state: RED when identity/session verification fails; YELLOW when unresolved anomaly remains. |
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| ### 5. Certificate / key failure |
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| The transfer depends on identity material that is stale, invalid, revoked, mismatched, weak, compromised, or unverifiable. |
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| - Primary pressure: `certificate_failure` or `key_compromise` |
| - Likely state: YELLOW or RED depending on policy and severity. |
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| ### 6. Route/session drift |
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| The route or session behavior changes in a way that creates uncertainty or integrity pressure. |
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| - Primary pressure: `route_hijack` or `route_session_drift` |
| - Likely state: YELLOW unless identity/session evidence fails, then RED. |
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| ### 7. Metadata leakage |
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| Payload may remain protected while metadata leaks more than the boundary permits. |
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| - Primary pressure: `metadata_leakage` |
| - Likely state: YELLOW or RED depending on sensitivity and policy. |
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| ### 8. Endpoint compromise |
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| The transfer protocol succeeds, but one endpoint is degraded, malicious, or already compromised. |
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| - Primary pressure: `endpoint_compromise` |
| - Likely state: RED if confirmed; YELLOW if suspected. |
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| ### 9. Audit-chain break |
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| The evidence chain is incomplete, discontinuous, tampered, missing, or unverifiable. |
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| - Primary pressure: `audit_chain_break` |
| - Likely state: RED or downgraded claim state. |
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| ## OAM rule |
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| A transfer cannot be upgraded beyond the evidence boundary. If audit continuity fails, claims must downgrade even when delivery appears successful. |
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