Written by Helena Markou
The decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) sector has long grappled with a fundamental tension: how to achieve trustless, verifiable computation without exposing sensitive data. While the battle for data protection in use has largely been won through hardware-enforced execution environments like Intel TDX, the Web3 space demands a higher standard. How does a relying party verify independently that a workload is running exactly where and how it should, without trusting the node operator?
As of May 18, 2026, SCRT Labs has answered this question by integrating Intel Trust Authority into every SecretVM, marking a significant milestone in Secret Network’s evolution from a privacy-focused blockchain to a comprehensive Decentralized Confidential Computing (DeCC) platform.
The Significance of Independent Attestation in Web3
In the DePIN and confidential compute narratives, trust minimization is paramount. Historically, even with Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), users had to rely on the operator’s attestation mechanisms. The integration of Intel Trust Authority (ITA) decouples these roles fundamentally.
Intel acts as the independent appraiser, the host node is merely the host, and the user receives an attestation token signed by an independent third party with no operational stake in the workload. This architecture perfectly aligns with Secret Network’s core ethos: verification should never require trusting the operator.
What Is Actually Shipping
SCRT Labs has embedded Intel Trust Authority directly into the SecretVM platform, delivering three crucial features for Web3 developers and node operators:
- Attestation is on by default. Every SecretVM now exposes an `/ita_jwt` endpoint that returns an Intel-signed attestation token on demand. There is no separate sign-up flow, no API key to provision, and no SDK to integrate. SCRT Labs bundles its own ITA credentials and a Secret-defined appraisal policy into the platform.
- Custom policies are a one-field addition. Node operators who want their VMs attested against their own ITA accounts and policies can add API keys directly in the SecretVM configuration. The endpoint then issues tokens against each configured policy, returned as an array.
- Tokens are bound to the TLS connection. The `report_data` field of each attestation token carries the fingerprint of the SecretVM’s TLS certificate. This mitigates impersonation and proxying attacks, ensuring the secure connection is cryptographically tied to the attested hardware.
Redefining the DePIN and DeCC Narratives
Secret Network’s strategic pivot toward providing robust confidential virtual machines reflects the growing demand for secure infrastructure in Web3. As the confidential computing market expands, the integration of Intel TDX and ITA positions SecretVM as a critical layer for decentralized AI, confidential DeFi, and secure data processing.
“Confidential computing is only half the battle; verification is what enterprises actually buy,” stated Alex Zaidelson, CEO of SCRT Labs. “By making Intel Trust Authority a standard feature of every Intel TDX-powered SecretVM, we’re making verifiable trust the baseline for the industry.”
This partnership with Intel not only bridges the gap between traditional enterprise security and Web3 ethos but also solidifies Secret Network’s role as the foundational privacy layer for the next generation of decentralized applications.
