matrix-org / matrix-org/matrix-spec

E2E encrypted attachments hashes should cover IV & key data too

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#293 1 comment 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
A-Client-Server A-E2EE enhancement
Dominant language
HTML
Stars
330
Forks
150
Avg merge
2h 21m
Merged PRs (30d)
3

Description

We include a H(ciphertext) in the metadata of our encrypted attachments to ensure that the media repo doesn't swap out the ciphertext on us. However, we don't protect the IV & key data, which is a problem for antivirus scanners which need to be sure they have the right IV & key data to decrypt a file in order to scan it. Instead we should include H(ciphertext, IV, key) - or something, but it needs to be properly thought through

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by locating the Matrix specification's encrypted-attachment metadata definition and reviewing how ciphertext, IV, and key data are represented. Determine the integrity design needed by antivirus scanners, then document the agreed protocol behavior; the issue notes that this requires careful thought and has no linked implementation or test.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Domain
cryptography, security
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
20/100

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