A distributed ledger is used by one or more parties executing a ledger node to document a lifecycle of a device. When devices are manufactured, shipped, and used, attestation transactions are recorded to the distributed ledger that identify the devices and include attestation information about the device. The distributed ledger further supports command transactions that are used to change the behavior of the device, such as unlocking capabilities on the device. The distributed ledger provides a history of device attestation and activation.