matrix-org / matrix-org/matrix-spec
/directory/room{roomAlias} leaks all involved homeservers
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- HTML
- Stars
- 330
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- Avg merge
- 2h 21m
- Merged PRs (30d)
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Description
**Link to problem area**:
https://spec.matrix.org/v1.11/client-server-api/#get_matrixclientv3directoryroomroomalias
**Issue**
What is wrong? How can we improve?
The spec for resolving [room aliases to IDs](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.11/client-server-api/#get_matrixclientv3directoryroomroomalias) doesn't specify any limits on the returned `servers` list resulting in strange occurences like ~400 servers (grew significantly since I raised the [synapse issue](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/17298)) on `#jellyfinorg:matrix.org` for example.
I believe this is wasteful and a privacy concern and that the list should be perhaps artifically capped and maybe ordered by the _size_ of the homeserver (number of active users?).
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start with the GET /_matrix/client/v3/directory/room/{roomAlias} section in the linked Matrix Client-Server API specification and review the linked Synapse issue for the observed server-list behavior. Clarify the desired limit and ordering rules with the existing discussion; done means the specification records an agreed change that addresses the excessive disclosure and response size.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Domain
- api, security
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 30/100