fix(relay): close F6 replay K_content nonce reuse via per-generation epoch-in-key

The recoverable replay key was stable per (hostContentSecret, sessionId) while the
agent-side sealer resets its deterministic-nonce seq to 0 on every restart/re-attach
→ two sealer generations sealed distinct plaintext under the SAME (key, nonce).

Add a required 'epoch' to ReplayKeyParams, fold it into the K_content HKDF salt
(sessionId U+001F epoch), mint a fresh epoch per createReplaySealer generation and
expose it, and thread it through ReplaySource so the browser re-derives the matching
key. Fresh epoch per generation ⇒ fresh key ⇒ seq=0 can never collide; recoverability
within a generation is preserved.

Touches relay-contracts/relay-e2e/agent/relay-web. Green: contracts 81, e2e 78,
agent 133, web 99; tsc clean. Regression proves same seq-0 nonce, different key.

agent/src/e2e/replaySeal.ts

@@ -13,7 +13,19 @@
  * the frozen relay-contracts signatures — production wiring passes the relay-e2e impls verbatim.
  * `hostContentSecret` comes from Keystore.loadContentSecret() (T3); NEVER the ephemeral key,
  * NEVER logged, NEVER sent to the relay (INV2/INV9).
+ *
+ * PER-GENERATION EPOCH (F6 fix): K_content = HKDF(hostContentSecret, salt=sessionId, info=const) is
+ * byte-identical for a given (host, sessionId) and RECOVERABLE by design — but the deterministic seal
+ * nonce is seq, which resets to 0 on every sealer reconstruction (restart / re-attach). Two sealer
+ * GENERATIONS would therefore seal DISTINCT plaintext under the SAME (key, nonce) → catastrophic AEAD
+ * reuse. Each `createReplaySealer` call mints a FRESH, NON-SECRET `epoch` (randomUUID) that is folded
+ * into K_content derivation, so a restart / new generation yields a FRESH key even for the same
+ * (hostContentSecret, sessionId); seq=0 can never collide across generations. The epoch is exposed on
+ * the sealer so the wiring can persist it with the ring buffer / replay stream and serve it to the
+ * browser, which re-derives the matching key. Recoverability WITHIN one generation (same epoch ⇒ same
+ * key) is preserved.
  */
+import { randomUUID } from 'node:crypto'
 import type { AeadAlg, AeadKey, E2EEnvelope, ReplayKeyParams } from 'relay-contracts'
 
 /** The two §4.4 replay primitives, typed to the frozen relay-contracts signatures (P4 impls). */
@@ -23,13 +35,20 @@ export interface ReplayCrypto {
 }
 
 export interface ReplaySealer {
+  /**
+   * The fresh, NON-SECRET per-generation epoch folded into K_content (F6). The wiring persists it
+   * with the ring buffer / replay stream so the browser re-derives the matching key.
+   */
+  readonly epoch: string
   /** K_content seal with monotonic seq per session (INV13); NOT the live h2c frame. */
   seal(plaintext: Uint8Array): E2EEnvelope
 }
 
 /**
- * Build a per-(host, session) replay sealer. K_content is derived ONCE from
- * { hostContentSecret, sessionId, alg }; seq is strictly monotonic from 0 (INV13).
+ * Build a per-(host, session) replay sealer for ONE generation. A FRESH `epoch` is minted per call
+ * and folded into K_content, which is derived ONCE from { hostContentSecret, sessionId, alg, epoch };
+ * seq is strictly monotonic from 0 (INV13). A restart / re-attach constructs a NEW generation with a
+ * NEW epoch ⇒ a FRESH key, so seq=0 never collides across generations (F6).
  */
 export function createReplaySealer(
   hostContentSecret: Uint8Array,
@@ -37,9 +56,11 @@ export function createReplaySealer(
   alg: AeadAlg,
   crypto: ReplayCrypto,
 ): ReplaySealer {
-  const key = crypto.deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret, sessionId, alg })
+  const epoch = randomUUID()
+  const key = crypto.deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret, sessionId, alg, epoch })
   let seq = 0n
   return {
+    epoch,
     seal(plaintext: Uint8Array): E2EEnvelope {
       const env = crypto.sealReplayFrame(key, seq, plaintext)
       seq += 1n

agent/test/hostEndpoint.test.ts

@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ describe('createE2ETransform (T15)', () => {
   function fakeReplay(): ReplaySealer & { calls: number } {
     const r = {
       calls: 0,
+      epoch: 'test-epoch',
       seal(_pt: Uint8Array) {
         r.calls += 1
         return { seq: 0n, nonce: new Uint8Array(), ciphertext: new Uint8Array([0xde]), tag: new Uint8Array() }

agent/test/replaySeal.test.ts

@@ -2,14 +2,24 @@ import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { AeadKey, E2EEnvelope, ReplayKeyParams } from 'relay-contracts'
 import { createReplaySealer, type ReplayCrypto } from '../src/e2e/replaySeal.js'
 
-/** Fake AEAD: key = tagged secret‖sessionId; ciphertext = plaintext XOR keyByte (marker hidden). */
-function fakeCrypto(): ReplayCrypto & { derivations: ReplayKeyParams[] } {
+/**
+ * Fake AEAD. The derived key is a tag that DEPENDS on every ReplayKeyParams field — crucially on
+ * `epoch` (F6), so two sealer generations for the same (secret, sessionId, alg) yield DIFFERENT keys.
+ * The tag leads with `epoch` so key[0] also varies per generation; ciphertext = plaintext XOR key[0]
+ * (a UUID's first char is a hex digit 0x30–0x66 → always nonzero, so the marker is always hidden).
+ */
+function fakeCrypto(): ReplayCrypto & { derivations: ReplayKeyParams[]; keys: Uint8Array[] } {
   const derivations: ReplayKeyParams[] = []
+  const keys: Uint8Array[] = []
   return {
     derivations,
+    keys,
     deriveContentKey(params: ReplayKeyParams): AeadKey {
       derivations.push(params)
-      const tag = new TextEncoder().encode(`${Buffer.from(params.hostContentSecret).toString('hex')}:${params.sessionId}`)
+      const tag = new TextEncoder().encode(
+        `${params.epoch}:${Buffer.from(params.hostContentSecret).toString('hex')}:${params.sessionId}:${params.alg}`,
+      )
+      keys.push(tag)
       return tag as unknown as AeadKey
     },
     sealReplayFrame(key: AeadKey, seq: bigint, plaintext: Uint8Array): E2EEnvelope {
@@ -23,12 +33,26 @@ function fakeCrypto(): ReplayCrypto & { derivations: ReplayKeyParams[] } {
 const SECRET = new Uint8Array([1, 2, 3, 4])
 
 describe('createReplaySealer (T19, FIX 3)', () => {
-  it('derives K_content deterministically from (secret, sessionId, alg)', () => {
-    const c1 = fakeCrypto()
-    createReplaySealer(SECRET, 'sess-1', 'aes-256-gcm', c1)
-    const c2 = fakeCrypto()
-    createReplaySealer(SECRET, 'sess-1', 'aes-256-gcm', c2)
-    expect(c1.derivations[0]).toEqual(c2.derivations[0])
+  it('folds the exposed per-generation epoch into K_content, deriving it exactly once', () => {
+    const c = fakeCrypto()
+    const sealer = createReplaySealer(SECRET, 'sess-1', 'aes-256-gcm', c)
+    expect(c.derivations).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(c.derivations[0]!.epoch).toBe(sealer.epoch)
+    expect(sealer.epoch).toMatch(/^[0-9a-f-]{36}$/) // randomUUID shape
+  })
+
+  it('recoverable WITHIN one generation: re-deriving with the exposed epoch yields the same key', () => {
+    const c = fakeCrypto()
+    const sealer = createReplaySealer(SECRET, 'sess-1', 'aes-256-gcm', c)
+    // The browser re-derives from the SAME (secret, sessionId, alg, epoch) carried with the ring buffer.
+    const browser = fakeCrypto()
+    const browserKey = browser.deriveContentKey({
+      hostContentSecret: SECRET,
+      sessionId: 'sess-1',
+      alg: 'aes-256-gcm',
+      epoch: sealer.epoch,
+    }) as unknown as Uint8Array
+    expect(Buffer.from(browserKey).equals(Buffer.from(c.keys[0]!))).toBe(true)
   })
 
   it('a different sessionId → a different key (per-session separation)', () => {
@@ -38,6 +62,23 @@ describe('createReplaySealer (T19, FIX 3)', () => {
     expect(c.derivations[0]!.sessionId).not.toBe(c.derivations[1]!.sessionId)
   })
 
+  it('F6 regression: two generations for the SAME (secret, sessionId, alg) get DIFFERENT epochs → DIFFERENT keys, so seq=0 never collides', () => {
+    const c = fakeCrypto()
+    const gen1 = createReplaySealer(SECRET, 'sess-1', 'aes-256-gcm', c)
+    const gen2 = createReplaySealer(SECRET, 'sess-1', 'aes-256-gcm', c)
+    // Fresh epoch per generation…
+    expect(gen2.epoch).not.toBe(gen1.epoch)
+    // …therefore distinct K_content even though (secret, sessionId, alg) are identical…
+    expect(Buffer.from(c.keys[1]!).equals(Buffer.from(c.keys[0]!))).toBe(false)
+    // …so the seq=0 seal of generation 2 uses a DIFFERENT key than the seq=0 seal of generation 1
+    // (this is exactly the (key, nonce) reuse F6 prevents — same nonce, but a fresh key).
+    const s1 = gen1.seal(new Uint8Array([0x41, 0x42, 0x43]))
+    const s2 = gen2.seal(new Uint8Array([0x41, 0x42, 0x43]))
+    expect(s1.seq).toBe(0n)
+    expect(s2.seq).toBe(0n)
+    expect(s1.nonce).toEqual(s2.nonce) // same deterministic nonce (seq=0)…
+  })
+
   it('emits a monotonic seq (INV13) and never leaks the plaintext marker (INV2)', () => {
     const sealer = createReplaySealer(SECRET, 'sess-1', 'aes-256-gcm', fakeCrypto())
     const marker = new TextEncoder().encode('SECRET-MARKER')
@@ -50,7 +91,7 @@ describe('createReplaySealer (T19, FIX 3)', () => {
 
   it('replay seal is DISTINCT from a live h2c seal for the same plaintext (FIX 3)', () => {
     const replay = createReplaySealer(SECRET, 'sess-1', 'aes-256-gcm', fakeCrypto())
-    // model a live seal with a different key byte
+    // model a live seal with a different key byte (0x11 is below the 0x30–0x66 hex-digit epoch prefix)
     const liveKey = new Uint8Array([0x11]) as unknown as AeadKey
     const live = fakeCrypto().sealReplayFrame(liveKey, 0n, new Uint8Array([0x41, 0x42]))
     const rep = replay.seal(new Uint8Array([0x41, 0x42]))

relay-contracts/src/e2e/types.ts

@@ -117,10 +117,23 @@ export interface AuthorizedDeviceContext {
   readonly hostContentSecret: Uint8Array // §4.5 host-scoped secret; NEVER logged/sent to relay
 }
 
-/** FIX 3 replay content-key derivation params (§4.4). */
+/**
+ * FIX 3 replay content-key derivation params (§4.4).
+ *
+ * FIX 3b / F6 (anti-nonce-reuse): K_content = HKDF(hostContentSecret, salt=sessionId, info=const)
+ * was byte-identical for a given (host, sessionId), yet the agent-side sealer resets its
+ * deterministic-nonce seq to 0 on every reconstruction (restart / re-attach). Two sealer
+ * GENERATIONS would therefore seal distinct plaintext under the SAME (key, nonce) — a
+ * catastrophic AEAD reuse. The per-generation `epoch` is folded into K_content so a restart /
+ * new generation yields a FRESH key even for the same (hostContentSecret, sessionId); seq=0 can
+ * never collide across generations. Recoverability WITHIN one generation (same epoch ⇒ same key)
+ * is preserved.
+ */
 export interface ReplayKeyParams {
   readonly hostContentSecret: Uint8Array
   readonly sessionId: string
   readonly alg: AeadAlg
+  readonly epoch: string // FIX 3b / F6: fresh per-sealer-generation diversifier folded into K_content;
+  // NON-SECRET, carried with the ring buffer so the browser re-derives the key.
 }
 export const REPLAY_KDF_INFO = 'relay-e2e/replay/v1' as const

relay-e2e/src/replay-key.ts

@@ -21,12 +21,36 @@ import { openFrame, sealFrame } from './session.js'
 
 const encoder = new TextEncoder()
 
-/** HKDF(hostContentSecret, salt=sessionId, info=REPLAY_KDF_INFO) → per-session, per-host content key. */
+/**
+ * ASCII unit separator (0x1f). Domain-separates sessionId ‖ epoch inside the HKDF salt so
+ * distinct (sessionId, epoch) pairs can never alias via concatenation. Neither field contains
+ * it: sessionId is an opaque id and epoch is a generated non-secret diversifier.
+ */
+const SALT_FIELD_SEPARATOR = 0x1f
+
+/** salt = utf8(sessionId) ‖ 0x1f ‖ utf8(epoch) — unambiguous per-session, per-generation binding. */
+function replaySalt(sessionId: string, epoch: string): Uint8Array {
+  const sessionBytes = encoder.encode(sessionId)
+  const epochBytes = encoder.encode(epoch)
+  const salt = new Uint8Array(sessionBytes.length + 1 + epochBytes.length)
+  salt.set(sessionBytes, 0)
+  salt[sessionBytes.length] = SALT_FIELD_SEPARATOR
+  salt.set(epochBytes, sessionBytes.length + 1)
+  return salt
+}
+
+/**
+ * HKDF(hostContentSecret, salt=sessionId ‖ 0x1f ‖ epoch, info=REPLAY_KDF_INFO) → per-session,
+ * per-host, per-generation content key (F6). A fresh `epoch` per sealer generation yields a fresh
+ * key even for the same (hostContentSecret, sessionId), so a seq=0 reset after restart/re-attach
+ * can never collide with a prior generation's (key, nonce). Recoverability WITHIN one generation is
+ * preserved: same (secret, sessionId, alg, epoch) ⇒ byte-identical key.
+ */
 export function deriveContentKey(p: ReplayKeyParams): AeadKey {
   const raw = hkdf(
     sha256,
     p.hostContentSecret,
-    encoder.encode(p.sessionId),
+    replaySalt(p.sessionId, p.epoch),
     encoder.encode(REPLAY_KDF_INFO),
     AEAD_KEY_BYTES,
   )

relay-e2e/test/keystore.test.ts

@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ describe('T11 multi-device adapters (authenticated channel, NOT a QR)', () => {
       expect(result.aead).toBe('xchacha20-poly1305')
       expect(label).toBeTruthy()
     }
-    const kA = deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret: secret, sessionId: 's', alg: 'aes-256-gcm' })
-    const kB = deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret: secret, sessionId: 's', alg: 'aes-256-gcm' })
+    const kA = deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret: secret, sessionId: 's', alg: 'aes-256-gcm', epoch: 'gen-0' })
+    const kB = deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret: secret, sessionId: 's', alg: 'aes-256-gcm', epoch: 'gen-0' })
     expect(bytesToHex(unwrapAeadKey(kA).raw)).toBe(bytesToHex(unwrapAeadKey(kB).raw))
   })
 

relay-e2e/test/replay-key.test.ts

@@ -6,10 +6,16 @@ import { AeadOpenError } from '../src/errors.js'
 import { deriveContentKey, openReplayCiphertext, sealReplayFrame } from '../src/replay-key.js'
 import { bytesToHex, fromUtf8, utf8 } from './helpers.js'
 
-const params = (secret: Uint8Array, sessionId: string, alg: AeadAlg = 'aes-256-gcm'): ReplayKeyParams => ({
+const params = (
+  secret: Uint8Array,
+  sessionId: string,
+  alg: AeadAlg = 'aes-256-gcm',
+  epoch = 'gen-0',
+): ReplayKeyParams => ({
   hostContentSecret: secret,
   sessionId,
   alg,
+  epoch,
 })
 
 describe('T10 recoverable replay content-key', () => {
@@ -48,6 +54,29 @@ describe('T10 recoverable replay content-key', () => {
     expect(() => openReplayCiphertext(deriveContentKey(params(secretA, 's2')), wire)).toThrow(AeadOpenError)
   })
 
+  it('F6: SAME (secret, sessionId) but DIFFERENT epoch ⇒ different raw key bytes (no seq=0 (key,nonce) reuse across generations)', () => {
+    const secret = new Uint8Array(32).fill(0x66)
+    // Two sealer generations (e.g. before/after an agent restart) that both reset seq to 0.
+    const kA = deriveContentKey(params(secret, 'sess-F6', 'aes-256-gcm', 'epoch-A'))
+    const kB = deriveContentKey(params(secret, 'sess-F6', 'aes-256-gcm', 'epoch-B'))
+    // Raw key bytes MUST differ, so sealFrame(kA, 0n) and sealFrame(kB, 0n) never share (key, nonce).
+    expect(bytesToHex(unwrapAeadKey(kA).raw)).not.toBe(bytesToHex(unwrapAeadKey(kB).raw))
+
+    // And a frame sealed under one epoch cannot be opened with the other epoch's key.
+    const wireA = encodeEnvelope(sealReplayFrame(kA, 0n, utf8('generation A, seq 0')))
+    expect(() => openReplayCiphertext(kB, wireA)).toThrow(AeadOpenError)
+  })
+
+  it('F6: SAME (secret, sessionId, epoch) ⇒ identical key — recoverability WITHIN a generation preserved', () => {
+    const secret = new Uint8Array(32).fill(0x67)
+    const kSeal = deriveContentKey(params(secret, 'sess-F6', 'aes-256-gcm', 'epoch-E'))
+    const wire = encodeEnvelope(sealReplayFrame(kSeal, 0n, utf8('same-epoch replay')))
+    // Browser re-derives the key for the SAME epoch E carried with the ring buffer.
+    const kReDerived = deriveContentKey(params(secret, 'sess-F6', 'aes-256-gcm', 'epoch-E'))
+    expect(bytesToHex(unwrapAeadKey(kSeal).raw)).toBe(bytesToHex(unwrapAeadKey(kReDerived).raw))
+    expect(fromUtf8(openReplayCiphertext(kReDerived, wire))).toBe('same-epoch replay')
+  })
+
   it('revocation (INV12): a revoked wrap yields no secret → no key derivable for that host going forward', () => {
     // The unwrap mechanism is P5/P2; P4 asserts derivation is GATED on having the unwrapped secret.
     const revokedUnwrap = (): Uint8Array => {

relay-web/src/entry/manage-page.ts

@@ -16,11 +16,23 @@ import { createApiClient } from '../api-client'
 import { mountPreviewGrid } from '../preview-grid'
 import type { ReplaySource } from '../preview-client'
 
+/**
+ * FIX 3b / F6 placeholder epoch. The real per-generation `epoch` MUST be served by P1/P2 alongside
+ * the ciphertext ring buffer (the agent stamps a fresh epoch each time it reconstructs the sealer and
+ * resets seq to 0). This constant only keeps the `ReplaySource` shape explicit until those endpoints
+ * land; the stub still throws, so no frame is ever decrypted under it.
+ */
+const PLACEHOLDER_EPOCH = 'PENDING_P1_P2_EPOCH'
+
 async function loadReplay(
   _hostId: string,
 ): Promise<{ replay: ReplaySource; hostContentSecret: Uint8Array }> {
-  // TODO(P5/P1): fetch ciphertext replay + hostContentSecret (post auth/step-up). Not yet available.
-  throw new Error('replay source not yet wired (pending P5/P1 endpoints)')
+  // TODO(P5/P1/P2): fetch ciphertext replay + hostContentSecret (post auth/step-up) AND the real
+  // per-generation `epoch` (FIX 3b / F6) that the frames were sealed under. Until then the shape is:
+  //   { replay: { sessionId, alg, epoch: PLACEHOLDER_EPOCH, frames }, hostContentSecret }
+  // Not yet available → throw so a card shows "unavailable" rather than a fabricated screen.
+  void PLACEHOLDER_EPOCH
+  throw new Error('replay source not yet wired (pending P5/P1/P2 endpoints)')
 }
 
 function boot(): void {

relay-web/src/preview-client.ts

@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@
  * Ring-buffer replay survives a reload because the agent (P2) sealed each stored frame with
  * `sealReplayFrame` under the RECOVERABLE content key `K_content` — NOT the ephemeral live
  * `DirectionalKeys` (which are re-derived per handshake and lost on reload). The browser re-derives
- * the SAME `K_content` via `deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret, sessionId, alg })` (§4.4 FIX 3;
+ * the SAME `K_content` via `deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret, sessionId, alg, epoch })` (§4.4 FIX 3;
  * `hostContentSecret` obtained via P5 after auth/step-up) and decrypts each payload with
- * `openReplayCiphertext`. A wrong/ephemeral key throws (AEAD tag) → the card shows "unavailable",
- * never a torn/garbled screen (cross-host/session isolation, INV1).
+ * `openReplayCiphertext`. A wrong/ephemeral key — or a `ReplaySource.epoch` that doesn't match the
+ * generation the frames were sealed under (FIX 3b / F6) — throws (AEAD tag) → the card shows
+ * "unavailable", never a torn/garbled screen (cross-host/session isolation, INV1).
  *
  * The §4.4 crypto (`deriveContentKey`/`openReplayCiphertext`) is imported from `relay-e2e` and
  * injected — cited verbatim, never re-implemented. `hostContentSecret`/`K_content` are transient in
@@ -17,10 +18,17 @@
  */
 import type { AeadAlg, AeadKey, ReplayKeyParams } from 'relay-contracts'
 
-/** Ciphertext ring-buffer replay for one host/session. */
+/** Ciphertext ring-buffer replay for one host/session (one sealer generation). */
 export interface ReplaySource {
   readonly sessionId: string
   readonly alg: AeadAlg // negotiated aead (matches how P2 sealed the replay)
+  // FIX 3b / F6: the per-generation `epoch` under which THESE frames were sealed. The agent resets
+  // its deterministic-nonce seq to 0 on every reconstruction (restart/re-attach); folding a fresh
+  // epoch into K_content gives each generation a fresh key, so a seq=0 reset can never collide with
+  // a prior generation's (key, nonce). NON-SECRET — carried with the ring buffer so the browser
+  // re-derives the matching key. Frames from a DIFFERENT epoch derive a different key → AEAD tag
+  // fails → "unavailable" (never a torn screen).
+  readonly epoch: string
   readonly frames: readonly Uint8Array[] // stored DATA payloads, each a sealReplayFrame envelope
 }
 
@@ -85,6 +93,7 @@ export function mountPreviewClient(
         hostContentSecret,
         sessionId: replay.sessionId,
         alg: replay.alg,
+        epoch: replay.epoch, // F6: bind the key to THIS generation; a mismatched epoch → wrong key.
       })
     } catch {
       showUnavailable()

relay-web/test/default-terminal.test.ts

@@ -52,10 +52,12 @@ describe('default (real-xterm) loaders behind the DI seam', () => {
 
   it('mountPreviewClient renders via the default read-only xterm loader', async () => {
     const secret = randomBytes(32)
-    const k = deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret: secret, sessionId: 's', alg: 'aes-256-gcm' })
+    const epoch = 'gen-1' // FIX 3b / F6: seal + declare under the same generation.
+    const k = deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret: secret, sessionId: 's', alg: 'aes-256-gcm', epoch })
     const replay: ReplaySource = {
       sessionId: 's',
       alg: 'aes-256-gcm',
+      epoch,
       frames: [encodeEnvelope(sealReplayFrame(k, 0n, new TextEncoder().encode('DEFAULT-XTERM')))],
     }
     const card = document.createElement('div')

relay-web/test/extra-coverage.test.ts

@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ describe('preview-client unavailable path', () => {
     const card = document.createElement('div')
     const client = mountPreviewClient(
       card,
-      { sessionId: 's', alg: 'aes-256-gcm', frames: [new Uint8Array([1])] },
+      { sessionId: 's', alg: 'aes-256-gcm', epoch: 'gen-1', frames: [new Uint8Array([1])] },
       new Uint8Array(32),
       { cols: 80, rows: 24 },
       {

relay-web/test/preview-client.test.ts

@@ -11,16 +11,38 @@ import {
 const HOST_SECRET = randomBytes(32)
 const SESSION_ID = 'sess-1'
 const ALG = 'aes-256-gcm' as const
+const EPOCH = 'gen-1' // FIX 3b / F6: the sealer generation these fixtures seal + declare under.
 
-/** Seal a screen (as a P2 agent stub would) under K_content with sealReplayFrame. */
-function sealedReplay(lines: readonly string[], secret = HOST_SECRET): ReplaySource {
-  const k = deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret: secret, sessionId: SESSION_ID, alg: ALG })
+interface SealOpts {
+  readonly secret?: Uint8Array
+  /** Epoch the FRAMES are actually sealed under (the key that encrypts). */
+  readonly sealEpoch?: string
+  /** Epoch the ReplaySource DECLARES (the key the browser will re-derive). Defaults to sealEpoch. */
+  readonly declaredEpoch?: string
+}
+
+/**
+ * Seal a screen (as a P2 agent stub would) under K_content with sealReplayFrame. Recoverability
+ * holds because the frames are sealed with the SAME (secret, sessionId, alg, epoch) the returned
+ * ReplaySource declares. For the F6 regression, `sealEpoch` and `declaredEpoch` are set apart so the
+ * browser derives a different key than the frames were sealed under.
+ */
+function sealedReplay(lines: readonly string[], opts: SealOpts = {}): ReplaySource {
+  const secret = opts.secret ?? HOST_SECRET
+  const sealEpoch = opts.sealEpoch ?? EPOCH
+  const declaredEpoch = opts.declaredEpoch ?? sealEpoch
+  const k = deriveContentKey({
+    hostContentSecret: secret,
+    sessionId: SESSION_ID,
+    alg: ALG,
+    epoch: sealEpoch,
+  })
   const frames = lines.map((line, i) =>
     // sealReplayFrame → E2EEnvelope, encoded to a DATA payload the browser opens.
     // openReplayCiphertext decodes+opens; we mirror the encode via the session envelope codec.
     encodeReplayFrame(sealReplayFrame(k, BigInt(i), new TextEncoder().encode(line))),
   )
-  return { sessionId: SESSION_ID, alg: ALG, frames }
+  return { sessionId: SESSION_ID, alg: ALG, epoch: declaredEpoch, frames }
 }
 
 // The replay codec: relay-e2e's openReplayCiphertext expects the encoded envelope bytes.
@@ -67,6 +89,35 @@ describe('mountPreviewClient (T9)', () => {
     expect(term.written).toEqual([]) // never wrote a torn screen
   })
 
+  it('F6: a ReplaySource epoch that does NOT match the sealed generation → "unavailable", never a torn screen', async () => {
+    const card = document.createElement('div')
+    const term = mockTerminal()
+    // Frames sealed under generation "gen-1", but the ReplaySource declares a DIFFERENT epoch
+    // ("gen-2") — as if the ring buffer were mislabeled with the wrong generation. The browser
+    // re-derives a different K_content → AEAD tag fails → unavailable (no garbled render).
+    const replay = sealedReplay(['stale-screen'], { sealEpoch: 'gen-1', declaredEpoch: 'gen-2' })
+    const client = mountPreviewClient(card, replay, HOST_SECRET, { cols: 80, rows: 24 }, {
+      ...realDeps,
+      createTerminal: () => term,
+    })
+    await client.render()
+    expect(card.querySelector('.preview-unavailable')?.textContent).toBe('unavailable')
+    expect(term.written).toEqual([]) // never wrote a torn screen from the wrong generation
+  })
+
+  it('F6: a matching per-generation epoch preserves recoverability (frames render)', async () => {
+    const card = document.createElement('div')
+    const term = mockTerminal()
+    // sealEpoch === declaredEpoch (both "gen-7") ⇒ same key within one generation ⇒ replay recovers.
+    const replay = sealedReplay(['line-A', 'line-B'], { sealEpoch: 'gen-7', declaredEpoch: 'gen-7' })
+    const client = mountPreviewClient(card, replay, HOST_SECRET, { cols: 80, rows: 24 }, {
+      ...realDeps,
+      createTerminal: () => term,
+    })
+    await client.render()
+    expect(term.written).toEqual(['line-A', 'line-B'])
+  })
+
   it('read-only: the preview terminal exposes NO input path (no onData/send)', async () => {
     const card = document.createElement('div')
     const term = mockTerminal()

relay-web/test/preview-grid.test.ts

@@ -27,9 +27,16 @@ function host(sub: string): HostRecord {
   }
 }
 
+const EPOCH = 'gen-1' // FIX 3b / F6: per-generation key diversifier (seal + declare under the same one).
+
 function sealed(sessionId: string, secret: Uint8Array, line: string): ReplaySource {
-  const k = deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret: secret, sessionId, alg: ALG })
-  return { sessionId, alg: ALG, frames: [encodeEnvelope(sealReplayFrame(k, 0n, new TextEncoder().encode(line)))] }
+  const k = deriveContentKey({ hostContentSecret: secret, sessionId, alg: ALG, epoch: EPOCH })
+  return {
+    sessionId,
+    alg: ALG,
+    epoch: EPOCH,
+    frames: [encodeEnvelope(sealReplayFrame(k, 0n, new TextEncoder().encode(line)))],
+  }
 }
 
 function fakeApi(hosts: readonly HostRecord[]): ApiClient {