Authorization

In the age of sail, the difference between a privateer and a pirate was a letter of marque — a formal document that scoped authority to a specific enemy, specific waters, and specific timeframe. Captured prizes were adjudicated by courts that evaluated actions against the letter’s terms, not the privateer’s judgment. AI agents carry credentials that say who they are. No credential says what they should be allowed to do right now. Cedar, the first formally verified authorization language, builds the court.