The promiscuous mode design enables KERI to achieve distributed security monitoring without requiring every monitoring node to have explicit authorization relationships. Watchers can:

• Maintain copies of KERLs for any AID they observe
• Detect duplicity across the ecosystem by comparing event versions
• Contribute to the judge and juror infrastructure that validates key state
• Operate independently without coordination with identifier controllers

Cooperative security model:

As documented in the judge component specifications, promiscuous mode watchers participate in a cooperative security ecosystem where even competing entities share duplicity detection information. This creates network effects similar to certificate transparency systems, where shared threat intelligence benefits all participants.

Implementation efficiency:

The fact that watchers and witnesses share the same codebase demonstrates KERI's design philosophy of maximizing code reuse through behavioral differentiation. Rather than maintaining separate implementations, the protocol achieves functional diversity through operational modes, reducing maintenance burden and ensuring consistency in protocol interpretation.

Related Terms

• Watcher: The component that operates in promiscuous mode
• Witness: Formally designated component using the same code but in selective mode
• Duplicity detection: Primary security function enabled by promiscuous mode operation
• KERL: The data structure that promiscuous mode watchers maintain and monitor
• Judge: Component that evaluates watcher findings to determine authoritative key state