8go/matrix-commander-rs

Add documentation about how unverified members/devices are handled in encrypted rooms

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#78 opened on Nov 2, 2023

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documentationhelp wanted

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Description

Would it be possible to add some documentation how unverified members are handled by default in an encrypted room? AFAIK, there are 3 reasonable possibilities:

  1. Encrypt to all members (potentially insecure, but often the only choice for large rooms)
  2. Encrypt to verified members only, ignore unverified members (secure, can lead to hard-to-debug errors for inexperienced users)
  3. Encrypt to verified members only, fail if there are unverified members (secure, forces the sender to make an explicit decision)

IMO it would be good if the current default choice is explicitly stated somewhere, because each variant could lead to unexpected side effects. (In the long run it might make sense to add switches to select the desired behavior, but this is probably much more work than a quick documentation update).

EDIT: If someone can tell me what the current behavior is, I can also create a PR to update the documentation 😊

Contributor guide

Research direction
Search the source code for encryption logic. Look for how verified/unverified members are handled in the encryption module. Check existing documentation files for any related notes. If unclear, ask the maintainers in the issue.
Tech stack
rust
Domain
clisecurity
Issue type
Documentation
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
Under 1 hour
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
GitMarkdown
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
80