diff --git a/emailflow.md b/emailflow.md index 7190e60..52689f0 100644 --- a/emailflow.md +++ b/emailflow.md @@ -1,5 +1,26 @@ # Email Flow +In creating an email flow that maintains PRIVACY and SECURITY whilst also being convenient to use, the following principles were observed: + +- Keypair must be generated client-side +- Keypair must be protected by a password +- There must be protection from keyloggers +- It must be possible to change the password +- It must remain possible to work offline +- Network traffic must not contain identifying metadata + +All of the above is achieved using a high level flow as follows: + +1. Generate temporary key pair for secure server communication +2. Validate email using a 6 digit code +3. Provide some server side entropy to client +4. Combine entropy + complex user password to encrypt the final keypair +5. Store the encrypted keypair on the server + +The password is only used to encrypt the key and is never stored or sent anywhere. Hence, the server cannot decrypt the backup. All key signing / encryption operations happen on client side using [private class properties](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Classes/Private_properties). + +## SIGNUP FLOW + ```mermaid sequenceDiagram @@ -12,11 +33,11 @@ sequenceDiagram U->>W: Click SIGNUP and enter
email address Note over W: Ephemeral key generated
to communicate with DVM W->>D: Request Account - Note right of W: Event uses PoW and
encrypts only EMAIL
to DVM pubkey + Note right of W: Event uses PoW and
encrypts only EMAIL
to dvm@sigit.io pubkey D -x DB: Verify PoW and check
if email exists Note over D: If email already exists,
send user to LOGIN.
Otherwise#58; - D->>DB: Create Account - Note over DB: Create entries#58;
#128274;user.id=uid()
user.email=lowcase(email())
user.verified=false
user.activated=false
user.entropy=""
user.pubkey=""
user.created_at=now()
user.bkp=""
#128274;session.pubkey="ephemeral pubkey"
session.user_id=user.id
session.email_code=INT (6 digits)
session.created_at=now() + D->>DB: Create Temp Session + Note over DB: SESSION entry#58;
#128274;session.pubkey="ephemeral pubkey"
session.email=lowcase($EMAIL)
session.email_code=INT (6 digits)
session.created_at=now() D->>U: Send session.email_code via email D->>W: Account created Note left of D: Payload is an empty string or
an encrypted (and detailed)
error message @@ -26,12 +47,14 @@ sequenceDiagram W->>D: Verify Account Note right of W: Event uses PoW and
encrypts only CODE
to DVM pubkey D -x DB: Check email_code where
session pk=event pk - D->>DB: If code matches,
Update Account - Note over DB: user.verified=true
user.entropy=uid() + D->>DB: If code matches,
create User Account + Note over DB: USER entry#58;
#128274;user.id=uid()
user.email=session.email
user.pubkey=""
user.activated=false
user.created_at=now()
user.bkp=""
user.entropy=uid() D->>W: Provide user.entropy Note left of D: Payload encrypted to ephemeral
pubkey. Is either a UID or a
detailed error message. + Note over W: Client verifies that
DVM response came from
DVM pubkey W->>U: Ask for secure password Note right of U: This password is what prevents
backend from decrypting the nsec + Note right of U: User is warned that they CANNOT
RESET PASSWORD, should USE
PASSWORD MANAGER etc U->>W: Enter password (twice) Note over W: Nostr Keypair Generated
& Encrypted inside a
PRIVATE METHOD,
using password + entropy.
Password variable is not
stored, sent or printed
anywhere. Temporary
variables are destroyed.