element-android/docs/identity_server.md

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# Identity server
Issue: #607
PR: #1354
## Introduction
Identity Servers support contact discovery on Matrix by letting people look up Third Party Identifiers to see if the owner has publicly linked them with their Matrix ID.
## Implementation
The current implementation was Inspired by the code from Riot-Android.
Difference though (list not exhaustive):
- Only API v2 is supported (see https://matrix.org/docs/spec/identity_service/latest)
- Homeserver has to be up to date to support binding (Versions.isLoginAndRegistrationSupportedBySdk() has to return true)
- The SDK managed the session and client secret when binding ThreePid. Those data are not exposed to the client.
- The SDK supports incremental sendAttempt (this is not used by Element)
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- The "Continue" button is now under the information, and not as the same place that the checkbox
- The app can cancel a binding. Current data are erased from DB.
- The API (IdentityService) is improved.
- A new DB to store data related to the identity server management.
Missing features (list not exhaustive):
- Invite by 3Pid (will be in a dedicated PR)
- Add email or phone to account (not P1, can be done on Element-Web)
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- List email and phone of the account (could be done in a dedicated PR)
- Search contact (not P1)
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- Logout from identity server when user sign out or deactivate his account.
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## Related MSCs
The list can be found here: https://matrix.org/blog/2019/09/27/privacy-improvements-in-synapse-1-4-and-riot-1-4
## Steps and requirements
- Only one identity server by account can be set. The user's choice is stored in account data with key `m.identity_server`. But every clients will managed its own token to log in to the identity server
```json
{
"type": "m.identity_server",
"content": {
"base_url": "https://matrix.org"
}
}
```
- The accepted terms are stored in the account data:
```json
{
"type": "m.accepted_terms",
"content": {
"accepted": [
"https://vector.im/identity-server-privacy-notice-1"
]
}
}
```
- Default identity server URL, from Wellknown data is proposed to the user.
- Identity server can be set
- Identity server can be changed on another user's device, so when the change is detected (thanks to account data sync) Element should properly disconnect from a previous identity server (I think it was not the case in Riot-Android, where we keep the token forever)
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- Registration to the identity server is managed with an openId token
- Terms of service can be accepted when configuring the identity server.
- Terms of service can be accepted after, if they change.
- Identity server can be modified
- Identity server can be disconnected with a warning dialog, with special content if there are current bound 3pid on this identity server.
- Email can be bound
- Email can be unbound
- Phone can be bound
- Phone can be unbound
- Look up can be performed, to get matrixIds from local contact book (phone and email): Android permission correctly handled (not done yet)
- Look up pepper can be updated if it is rotated on the identity server
- Invitation using 3PID can be done (See #548) (not done yet)
- Homeserver access-token will never be sent to an identity server
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- When user sign-out: logout from the identity server if any.
- When user deactivate account: logout from the identity server if any.
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## Screens
### Settings
Identity server settings can be accessed from the internal setting of the application, both from "Discovery" section and from identity detail section.
### Discovery screen
This screen displays the identity server configuration and the binding of the user's ThreePid (email and msisdn). This is the main screen of the feature.
### Set identity server screen
This screen is a form to set a new identity server URL
## Ref:
- https://matrix.org/blog/2019/09/27/privacy-improvements-in-synapse-1-4-and-riot-1-4 is a good summary of the role of an Identity server and the proper way to configure and use it in respect to the privacy and the consent of the user.
- API documentation: https://matrix.org/docs/spec/identity_service/latest
- vector.im TOS: https://vector.im/identity-server-privacy-notice