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Machine Identity

Reviewed 19 July 2026Canonical definitionPart of: Agent Identity & Access Terms →

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.

§01 / QUESTIONSterm: Machine Identity
Questions

Common questions.

What is Machine Identity?

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.

Why does Machine Identity matter for AI agents?

Machine identities are more robust than shared secrets and enable zero-trust enforcement in agent-to-service communication.

Which terms are related to Machine Identity?

Closely related concepts include SPIFFE (Secure Production Identity Framework for Everyone), Workload Identity, Trust Chain, Non-Human Identity (NHI). Each is defined in the Prefactor glossary.

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