Specify fallback keys

MSC: #2732

Author: turt2live

content/client-server-api/modules/end_to_end_encryption.md

@@ -118,9 +118,13 @@ must include the public part of the device's Ed25519 key, and must be
 signed by that key, as described in [Signing
 JSON](/appendices/#signing-json).
 
-One-time keys are also uploaded to the homeserver using the
+One-time and fallback keys are also uploaded to the homeserver using the
 [`/keys/upload`](/client-server-api/#post_matrixclientv3keysupload) API.
 
+{{% added-in v="1.2" %}} Fallback keys are simply one-time keys which get
+used when the device has run out of one-time keys. They are not consumed
+once used, but should be replaced when additional one-time keys are uploaded.
+
 Devices must store the private part of each key they upload. They can
 discard the private part of a one-time key when they receive a message
 using that key. However it's possible that a one-time key given out by a
@@ -129,6 +133,24 @@ never know that it can discard the key. Therefore a device could end up
 trying to store too many private keys. A device that is trying to store
 too many private keys may discard keys starting with the oldest.
 
+{{% boxes/warning %}}
+Fallback keys are used to prevent one-time key exhaustion when devices
+are offline/unable to upload additional keys, though can also be used
+to initiate replay attacks.
+{{% /boxes/warning %}}
+
+{{% boxes/warning %}}
+Clients should not store the private half of fallback keys indefinitely
+to avoid situations where attackers can decrypt past messages sent using
+that fallback key.
+
+Instead, clients should keep the private keys for at most 2 fallback keys:
+the current, unused, fallback key and the key immediately preceding it.
+Once the client is reasonably certain it has received all messages that
+used the old fallback key, such as after an hour since the last message,
+it should remove that fallback key.
+{{% /boxes/warning %}}
+
 ##### Tracking the device list for a user
 
 Before Alice can send an encrypted message to Bob, she needs a list of
@@ -345,6 +367,11 @@ A homeserver should rate-limit the number of one-time keys that a given
 user or remote server can claim. A homeserver should discard the public
 part of a one time key once it has given that key to another user.
 
+{{% added-in v="1.2" %}} If the device has run out of one-time keys which
+can be claimed, the homeserver will return the fallback key (if one was
+uploaded). Fallback keys are not deleted once used and should be replaced
+by the device when they are able to upload more one-time keys.
+
 #### Device verification
 
 Before Alice sends Bob encrypted data, or trusts data received from him,
@@ -1604,10 +1631,23 @@ It also adds a `one_time_keys_count` property. Note the spelling
 difference with the `one_time_key_counts` property in the
 [`/keys/upload`](/client-server-api/#post_matrixclientv3keysupload) response.
 
-| Parameter                  | Type               | Description                                                                                                            |
-|----------------------------|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-| device_lists               | DeviceLists        | Optional. Information on e2e device updates. Note: only present on an incremental sync.                                |
-| device_one_time_keys_count | {string: integer}  | Optional. For each key algorithm, the number of unclaimed one-time keys currently held on the server for this device.  |
+
+{{% added-in v="1.2" %}} Finally, a `device_unused_fallback_key_types` property
+is added to list the key algorithms which *have not* been used in a
+[`/keys/claim`](/client-server-api/#post_matrixclientv3keysclaim) response.
+When a previously uploaded fallback key's algorithm is missing from this
+list, the device should upload a replacement key alongside any necessary
+one-time keys to avoid the fallback key's further usage. This property
+is required for inclusion, though previous versions of the specification
+did not have it. In addition to `/versions`, this can be a way to identify
+the server's support for fallback keys.
+
+
+| Parameter                        | Type               | Description                                                                                                            |
+|----------------------------------|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
+| device_lists                     | DeviceLists        | Optional. Information on e2e device updates. Note: only present on an incremental sync.                                |
+| device_one_time_keys_count       | {string: integer}  | Optional. For each key algorithm, the number of unclaimed one-time keys currently held on the server for this device.  |
+| device_unused_fallback_key_types | [string]           | **Required.** The unused fallback key algorithms.                                                                      |
 
 `DeviceLists`
 

data/api/client-server/keys.yaml

@@ -100,6 +100,40 @@ paths:
                     }
                   }
                 }
+              fallback_keys:
+                type: object
+                x-addedInMatrixVersion: "1.2"
+                description: |-
+                  The public key which should be used if the device's one-time keys
+                  are exhausted. The fallback key is not deleted once used, but should
+                  be replaced when additional one-time keys are being uploaded. The
+                  server will notify the client of the fallback key being used through
+                  `/sync`.
+
+                  There can only be at most one key per algorithm uploaded, and the server
+                  will only persist one key per algorithm.
+
+                  When uploading a signed key, an additional `fallback: true` key should
+                  be included to denote that the key is a fallback key.
+
+                  May be absent if a new fallback key is not required.
+                additionalProperties:
+                  type:
+                    - string
+                    - object
+                      # XXX: We can't define an actual object here - see OTKs.
+                example: {
+                  "curve25519:AAAAAG": "/qyvZvwjiTxGdGU0RCguDCLeR+nmsb3FfNG3/Ve4vU8",
+                  "signed_curve25519:AAAAGj": {
+                    "key": "zKbLg+NrIjpnagy+pIY6uPL4ZwEG2v+8F9lmgsnlZzs",
+                    "fallback": true,
+                    "signatures": {
+                      "@alice:example.com": {
+                        "ed25519:JLAFKJWSCS": "FLWxXqGbwrb8SM3Y795eB6OA8bwBcoMZFXBqnTn58AYWZSqiD45tlBVcDa2L7RwdKXebW/VzDlnfVJ+9jok1Bw"
+                      }
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
       responses:
         200:
           description:
@@ -378,6 +412,9 @@ paths:
 
                   See the [key algorithms](/client-server-api/#key-algorithms) section for information
                   on the Key Object format.
+
+                  If necessary, the claimed key might be a fallback key. Fallback
+                  keys are re-used by the server until replaced by the device.
                 additionalProperties:
                   type: object
                   additionalProperties: