1.4 KiB
MSC3122: Deprecate starting key verifications without requesting first
Currently, the Key verification
framework
allows a device to begin a verification via to-device messages by sending an
m.key.verification.start event without first sending or receiving an
m.key.verification.request message. (The last sentence of the 5th paragraph
of the Key verification framework in the unstable spec, as of the time of
writing.) However, doing so does not provide a good user experience, and
allowing this adds unnecessary complexity to implementations.
We propose to deprecate allowing this behaviour.
Note that verifications in DMs do not allow this behaviour. Currently, Element Web is the only client known to do this.
Proposal
The ability to begin a key verification by sending an
m.key.verification.start event as a to-device event without a prior
m.key.verification.request is deprecated. New clients should not begin
verifications in this way, but will still need to accept verifications begun in
this way, until it is removed from the spec.
Potential issues
None.
Alternatives
We could do nothing and leave it in the spec. But we should clean up cruft when possible.
Security considerations
None.
Unstable prefix
No unstable prefix is required since we are simply deprecating behaviour.