From a48f7b9278d7810b8727e266e566b1a81b9c24c8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Travis Ralston Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2018 10:49:05 -0600 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Clarify how external_url is supposed to work Fixes https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/issues/1624 --- specification/application_service_api.rst | 17 +++++++++-------- 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-) diff --git a/specification/application_service_api.rst b/specification/application_service_api.rst index 5b7abf4a..127b3ade 100644 --- a/specification/application_service_api.rst +++ b/specification/application_service_api.rst @@ -374,13 +374,14 @@ additional parameters on the ``/publicRooms`` client-server endpoint. {{appservice_room_directory_cs_http_api}} -Event fields -~~~~~~~~~~~~ +Referencing messages from a third party network +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -.. TODO-TravisR: Fix this section to be a general "3rd party networks" section +Application services should include an ``external_url`` in the ``content`` of +events it emits to indicate where the message came from. This typically applies +to application services that bridge other networks into Matrix, such as IRC, +where an HTTP URL may be available to reference. -We recommend that any events that originated from a remote network should -include an ``external_url`` field in their content to provide a way for Matrix -clients to link into the 'native' client from which the event originated. -For instance, this could contain the message-ID for emails/nntp posts, or a link -to a blog comment when bridging blog comment traffic in & out of Matrix. +Clients should provide users with a way to access the ``external_url`` if it +is present. Clients should additionally ensure the URL has a scheme of ``https`` +or ``http`` before making use of it. From 1a3f11233731d92a9dec01dd8b207c62c27c528e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Travis Ralston Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2018 11:07:09 -0600 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Clarify that the external_url is unsafe --- specification/application_service_api.rst | 4 ++++ 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+) diff --git a/specification/application_service_api.rst b/specification/application_service_api.rst index 127b3ade..cd65fad7 100644 --- a/specification/application_service_api.rst +++ b/specification/application_service_api.rst @@ -385,3 +385,7 @@ where an HTTP URL may be available to reference. Clients should provide users with a way to access the ``external_url`` if it is present. Clients should additionally ensure the URL has a scheme of ``https`` or ``http`` before making use of it. + +The presence of an ``external_url`` on an event does not necessarily mean the +event was sent from an application service. Clients should be wary of the URL +contained within, as it may not be a legitimate reference to the event's source.