Identity server

Introduction
Implementation
Related MSCs
Steps and requirements
Screens
Ref:

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)
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)
List email and phone of the account (could be done in a dedicated PR)
Search contact (not P1)
Logout from identity server when user sign out or deactivate his account.

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

{
  "type": "m.identity_server",
  "content": {
    "base_url": "https://matrix.org"
  }
}

The accepted terms are stored in the account data:

{
  "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)
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
When user sign-out: logout from the identity server if any.
When user deactivate account: logout from the identity server if any.

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

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