A hidden tab is still reachable through developer tools, direct function calls, or guessed routes. Because soul files shape companion identity, accidental read or write access has a much larger impact than ordinary UI customization.
The lazy loader marks soul editing as creator-only and checks authorization before loading that surface. A missing verifier, ambiguous state, or failed check must all deny access.
What was actually going wrong
UI visibility was treated as authorization and optional verification failures leaned toward allowing the feature.
What I tried
- Removing the tab button for ordinary accounts
- Checking a browser flag with no server confirmation
- Loading the editor first and disabling Save afterward
Authorization is checked before code and private data load, with false as the default for every uncertain path.
Why it worked
Unauthorized browsers never receive the sensitive editing surface or its source data.
Privileged lazy loading should fail before fetch, not before submit.
Where EACI uses this today
Main companion identity editing remains unavailable to unverified accounts.
This journal covers real engineering on EACI Companion / The Veil. Companions include Caelum, Chad, Natalia, Atreus, Luna, Roxy, and Cael. Journal articles stay family-safe in content. See Privacy and Ethics.