Update for latest requirements
* Add list of permitted/forbidden actions * Remove `href` from error code - this will be handled in a later MSC * Match modern templatepull/3823/head
Travis Ralston
2 months ago
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# MSC3823: A code for account suspension
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# MSC3823: Account Suspension
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This MSC introduces a new error code that servers may send to clarify that an account has been
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suspended *temporarily* but may still be reactivated.
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Unlike [account locking](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/3939), suspension
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allows the user to have a (largely) readonly view of their account. Homeserver administrators and
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moderators may use this functionality to temporarily deactivate an account, or place conditions on
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the account's experience. Critically, like locking, account suspension is reversible, unlike the
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deactivation mechanism currently available in Matrix - a destructive, irreversible, action.
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## Proposal
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### Introduction
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Matrix has a code `M_USER_DEACTIVATED` that a server may return to describe an account that has been
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deactivated. So far, this code has been used to represent accounts that have been *permanently*
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deactivated. In particular, clients that interpret this error code display it imply that the account
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has been *permanently* deactivated.
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However, some countries (e.g. UK) have laws that require the ability to appeal account
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deactivations. This requires the ability to specify that an account is *reversibly*
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suspended and let users know about the appeals procedure.
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This MSC simply introduces a new error code `M_USER_ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED` that servers may send to
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clarify that an account has been suspended but that the solution may still be resolved either by
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an appeal or by e.g. clearing up some abusive messages.
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This MSC does *not* specify a mechanism to suspend or unsuspend the account or to handle appeals.
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### Proposal
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Introduce a new error code `M_USER_ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED`. This error code MAY be sent by the server
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whenever a client attempts to use an API on behalf of a user whose account has been suspended.
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This proposal introduces an error code for communicating suspension to a user, alongside some
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guidelines for how suspension could be implemented by a server. APIs to invoke or clear suspension
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are not introduced, and left as an implementation detail. These will typically be done through an
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administrator-only API.
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| Name | Type | Value |
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|------|------|-------|
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| `href` | string | (optional) If specified, a URL containing more information for the user, such as action needed. |
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The client is in charge of displaying an error message understandable by the user in case of `M_USER_ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED`,
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as well as a link to `href`.
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The web server serving `href` is in charge of localizing the message, using existing HTTP mechanisms,
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to adapt the page to the end user's locale.
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#### Examples
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Returning a static page:
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```json
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{
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"errcode": "M_USER_ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED",
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"error": "The user account has been suspended, see link for details",
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"href": "https://example.org/help/my-account-is-suspended-what-can-i-do"
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}
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```
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Returning a dynamic page customized for this specific user:
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## Proposal
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```json
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{
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"errcode": "M_USER_ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED",
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"error": "The user account has been suspended, see link for details",
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"href": "https://example.org/action-needed/please-redact-events?event-id=$event_1:example.org&event-id=$event_2:example.org"
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}
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```
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When an account is suspended, any [Client-Server API](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.10/client-server-api/)
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endpoint MAY return a 403 HTTP status code with `errcode` of `M_USER_SUSPENDED`. This indicates to
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the user that the associated action is unavailable.
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Clients should note that for more general endpoints, like `/send/:eventType`, suspension MAY only be
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applied to a subset of request parameters. For example, a user may be allowed to *redact* events but
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not send messages.
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### Potential issues
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The specific list of permitted actions during suspension is left as a deliberate implementation
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detail, however a server SHOULD permit the user to:
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See security considerations.
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* Log in/create additional sessions (which should also behave as suspended).
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* See and receive messages, particularly via `/sync` and `/messages`.
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* [Verify their other devices](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.10/client-server-api/#device-verification)
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and write associated [cross-signing data](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.10/client-server-api/#cross-signing).
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* [Populate their key backup](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.10/client-server-api/#server-side-key-backups).
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* Leave rooms & reject invites.
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* Redact events.
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* Log out/delete any device of theirs, including the current session.
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* Deactivate their account, potentially with a deliberate time delay to discourage making a new
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account right away.
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* Change or add [admin contacts](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.10/client-server-api/#adding-account-administrative-contact-information),
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but not remove.
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### Alternatives
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The suggested set of explicitly forbidden actions is:
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We could reuse `M_USER_DEACTIVATED` and introduce an additional field:
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* Joining or knocking on rooms, including accepting invites.
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* Sending messages.
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* Sending invites.
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* Changing profile data (display name and avatar).
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| Name | Type | Value |
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|------|------|-------|
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| `permanent` | boolean | (optional) If `false`, the account may still be reactivated. |
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## Potential issues
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in addition to the fields mentioned previously.
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This proposal does not communicate *why* a user's account is restricted. The human-readable `error`
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field may contain some information, though anything comprehensive may not be surfaced to the user.
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A future MSC is expected to build a system for both informing the user of the action taken against
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their account and allow the user to appeal that action.
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### Security considerations
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## Alternatives
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This has the potential to expose private data.
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No significant alternatives are plausible. `M_USER_DEACTIVATED` could be expanded with a `permanent`
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flag, though ideally each error code should provide meaning on its own.
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To avoid this, any `M_USER_ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED` MUST NOT be sent without authentication.
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The related concept of locking, as discussed in places like [MSC3939](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/3939)
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and [matrix-org/glossary](https://github.com/matrix-org/glossary), is semantically different from
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suspension.
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### Unstable prefixes
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## Unstable prefixes
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During testing, `M_USER_ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED` will be prefixed as `ORG.MATRIX.MSC3823.USER_ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED`.
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Until this proposal is considered stable, implementations must use
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`ORG.MATRIX.MSC3823.USER_SUSPENDED` instead of `M_USER_SUSPENDED`.
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