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Glossary

Machine Identity

Reviewed 9 April 2026 Canonical definition

A machine identity is a cryptographically verifiable credential — such as an X.509 certificate, a public/private key pair, or a platform-attested token — that proves the identity of a non-human entity such as an AI agent, a container, or a VM. Machine identities are more robust than shared secrets and enable zero-trust enforcement in agent-to-service communication.