Spec

Room Version 6, Client-Server r0.6.1, and Federation r0.1.4 spec releases

Hey all,

It's been a little while since we've done a spec release, so here we are with Room Version 6, Client-Server r0.6.1, and Federation r0.1.4.

Room Version 6 (and the associated Federation r0.1.4 release) is largely something for implementations to worry about. It contains new event authorisation rules, changes to the redaction algorithm, and stricter compliance for JSON.

Client-Server r0.6.1 contains a number of clarifications as well as SSO support for authorisation, "soft logout" to avoid needlessly destroying e2e history, and new ways to publish aliases within rooms.

If you're wondering where all the E2E-by-default related MSCs are - we're doing final iterations based on the real-world feedback from the E2E-by-default launch a few weeks ago, and they are then expected to land in the upcoming Client-Server r0.7.

Here's all the MSCs that got merged since the last release:

• MSC2240: Room version 6
• MSC2457: Invalidating devices during password modification
• MSC2454: Support UI auth for SSO
• MSC2451: Remove query_auth federation endpoint
• MSC2432: Updated semantics for publishing room aliases
• MSC2324: Facilitating early releases of software dependent on spec
• MSC2313: Moderation policies as rooms
• MSC1466: Soft Logout
• MSC2540: Stricter event validation: JSON compliance
• MSC2209: Alter auth rules to check notifications in m.room.power_levels
• MSC1802: Remove the '200' value from some federation responses

Client-Server r0.6.1 changelog

New Endpoints

• Added /rooms/{roomId}/aliases for retrieving local aliases for a room. (#2562)

Backwards Compatible Changes

• Added data structures for defining moderation policies in rooms per MSC2313. (#2434)
• Optionally invalidate other access tokens during password modification per MSC2457. (#2523)
• Add User-Interactive Authentication for SSO-backed homeserver per MSC2454. (#2532)
• Add soft-logout support per MSC1466. (#2546)
• Replaced legacy room alias handling with a more sustainable solution per MSC2432. (#2562)

Spec Clarifications

• List available enum values for the room versions capability. (#2245)
• Fix various spelling errors throughout the specification. (#2351, #2415, #2453, #2524, #2553, #2569)
• Minor clarifications to token-based User-Interactive Authentication. (#2369)
• Minor clarification for what the user directory searches. (#2381)
• Fix key export format example to match the specification. (#2430)
• Clarify the IV data type for encrypted files. (#2492)
• Fix the .m.rule.contains_user_name default push rule to set the highlight tweak. (#2519)
• Clarify that an event_id is returned when sending events. (#2525)
• Fix some numbers in the specification to match their explanation text. (#2554)
• Move redaction algorithm into the room version specifications. (#2563)
• Clarify signature object structures for encryption. (#2566)
• Clarify which events are created as part of /createRoom. (#2571)
• Remove claims that the homeserver is exclusively responsible for profile information in membership events. (#2574)

Server-Server (Federation) r0.1.4 changelog

New Endpoints

• Add new POST /publicRooms endpoint for filtering the room directory. (#2305)
• Add new v2 /send_join and /send_leave endpoints per MSC1802. (#2547)

Removed Endpoints

• Remove the unused query_auth API per MSC2451. (#2470)

Spec Clarifications

• Move auth event selection to a more obvious location. (#2392)
• Fix typo in Request Authentication python example. (#2510)
• Clarify which fields are required on the key server endpoints. (#2527)
• Clarify the limits of prev_events and auth_events for PDUs. (#2538)
• Clarify which events are targeted by backfill. (#2559)
• Fix the response format of the /send endpoint. (#2560)
• Clarify signature object structures for encryption. (#2566)
• Clarify the server names to use when signing requests. (#2570)
• Clarify the state/auth chain requirements for /send_join. (#2575)
• Fix various spelling errors throughout the specification. (#2577)

Hey all,

For the last several months the team has been working on tightening up privacy in Matrix, and with the 1.4 release of Synapse and Riot quite a lot has been done in the area. One of the remaining pieces was to release all the specification changes to help other client/server implementations achieve the same goals, and now we've done that.

The Client-Server r0.6.0 and Identity Service r0.3.0 spec releases both cover the privacy improvements added through a number of MSCs in the last few months. Of particular note is that identity servers are now expected to support terms of service endpoints, which requires authentication that clients might need to worry about - check the spec changelogs for details.

The full changelog for the Client-Server r0.6.0 release is:

• Breaking Changes

  • Add id_access_token as a required request parameter to a few endpoints which require an id_server parameter as part of MSC2140. (#2255)

• New Endpoints

  • Add POST /account/3pid/unbind for removing a 3PID from an identity server. (#2282)

• Backwards Compatible Changes

  • Add M_USER_DEACTIVATED error code. (#2234)
  • Remove bind_msisdn and bind_email from /register now that the identity server's bind endpoint requires authentication. (#2279)
  • Add m.identity_server account data for tracking the user's preferred identity server. (#2281)
  • Deprecate id_server and make it optional in several places. (#2310)

• Spec Clarifications

  • Add missing format fields to m.room.message$m.notice schema. (#2125)
  • Remove "required" designation from the url field of certain m.room.message msgtypes. (#2129)
  • Fix various typos throughout the specification. (#2131, #2136, #2148, #2215)
  • Clarify the distinction between m.key.verification.start and its m.sas.v1 variant. (#2132)
  • Fix link to Olm signing specification. (#2133)
  • Clarify the conditions for the .m.rule.room_one_to_one push rule. (#2152)
  • Clarify the encryption algorithms supported by the device of the device keys example. (#2157)
  • Clarify that /rooms/:roomId/event/:eventId returns a Matrix error. (#2204)
  • Add a missing state_key check on .m.rule.tombstone. (#2223)
  • Fix the m.room_key_request action value, setting it from cancel_request to request_cancellation. (#2247)
  • Clarify that the submit_url field is without authentication. (#2341)
  • Clarify the expected phone number format. (#2342)
  • Clarify that clients should consider not requesting URL previews in encrypted rooms. (#2343)
  • Add missing information on how filters are meant to work with /context. (#2344)
  • Clarify what the keys are for rooms in /sync. (#2345)

The full changelog for the Identity Service r0.3.0 release is:

• New Endpoints

  • Add /account, /account/register, and /account/logout to authenticate with the identity server. (#2255)
  • Add endpoints for accepting and handling terms of service. (#2258)
  • Add /hash_details and a new /lookup endpoint for performing hashed association lookups. (#2287)

• Backwards Compatible Changes

  • Deprecate the v1 API in favour of an authenticated v2 API. (#2254)