Convergence on the root
Because the entire key tree is deterministically derived, restoring the root re-derives everything. Past contributions, across every context and time period, snap back under your control and re-establish the same verified human property.
Two problems, one answer
- Recovery: regain control of a lost derived key by restoring the root and re-deriving it.
- Same-person proof: show that two identities are the same human by proving both descend from one root.
These reduce to the same primitive — descent from the root — which is why the protocol does not need a separate, fragile “account recovery” system bolted on the side.
Protecting the root
The root is the one thing worth guarding. Because it is realized as an ERC-4337 smart account, it can use account-abstraction recovery — social guardians, multi-factor policies, or hardware-backed keys — without changing anything about how derived keys behave.
Lose the root, lose convergence
Derived keys can be recovered from the root; the root itself cannot be recovered from them. Back it up with the seriousness it deserves.
Hardware wallets, yes — Ledger-style USB, no
human.cv supports hardware-backed protection but deliberately avoids USB-dependent hardware wallet flows in the client.