# Authentication

Session-token authentication for the signaling server and product client.

## Trust boundaries

| Surface | Identity proof | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Signaling server REST (mutations) | `Authorization: Bearer <token>` | Actor user IDs in request bodies are ignored; server derives `authUserId` from the token |
| Signaling server REST (discovery) | None | `GET /api/servers`, featured/trending/search remain public |
| Signaling server WebSocket | `identify.token` | Connections must identify before any other message type |
| Electron Local API | Separate in-memory bearer tokens | Proxies login to allowed signaling servers only |
| Product client local DB | OS user account | SQLite and attachments are plaintext at rest |

## Login / register response

```json
{
  "id": "<uuid>",
  "username": "alice",
  "displayName": "Alice",
  "token": "<opaque-hex>",
  "expiresAt": 1710000000000
}
```

- Tokens are opaque 64-character hex strings stored in server SQLite (`session_tokens`).
- Default TTL: 10 years (`SESSION_TOKEN_TTL_MS` env override supported on the signaling server).
- Passwords are stored with bcrypt; legacy SHA-256 hashes are upgraded transparently on successful login.

## Protected REST routes

Require `Authorization: Bearer`:

- `PUT/POST/DELETE` under `/api/servers/*` (except public `GET`)
- `PUT /api/requests/:id`
- Plugin-support mutations under `/api/servers/:serverId/plugins/*`
- `/api/users/device-tokens/*`
- `POST /api/users/logout`

## WebSocket identify contract

```json
{
  "type": "identify",
  "token": "<session-token>",
  "oderId": "<user-id>",
  "displayName": "Alice",
  "connectionScope": "ws://host:3001",
  "clientInstanceId": "<per-install-uuid>"
}
```

- `oderId` must match the token's user id when provided.
- `clientInstanceId` is a stable per-install UUID generated by the product client (`metoyou.clientInstanceId` in `localStorage`). The signaling server uses it to distinguish multiple WebSocket connections for the same user and to route voice ownership.
- Server responds with `auth_error` or `auth_required` when authentication fails.

## Multi-device sessions

- Each login/register issues a **new** session token; prior tokens remain valid until they expire or the client calls `POST /api/users/logout` with that token.
- The same user may keep multiple WebSocket connections open (different devices or browser profiles). Server broadcasts (chat, typing, voice state, status) exclude only the **sending connection**, so other connections for that identity still receive updates.
- Voice/WebRTC is exclusive per user: only one `clientInstanceId` may own active voice at a time. Other connections show passive UI and can send `voice_client_takeover` to move voice to the local device.
- Stale reconnect hygiene: when a client re-identifies with the same `(oderId, connectionScope, clientInstanceId)` tuple, the server closes the older socket for that tuple.

## Client storage

The product client stores tokens per signaling-server base URL in `localStorage` (`metoyou.authTokens`). An HTTP interceptor attaches the bearer token to `/api/*` requests targeting that server.

Per-server credentials (`metoyou.signalServerCredentials`) map each normalized signal-server URL to the authenticated user id, username, display name, session token, expiry, and whether the account was auto-provisioned. The home user profile in SQLite/NgRx remains the device-local identity (`homeSignalServerUrl`); foreign-server credentials are a side map used for REST and WebSocket identify on that URL.

A per-install **provision secret** enables silent account creation on newly added or encountered signal servers. It is generated on home register/login, stored in Electron `safeStorage` when available (sessionStorage fallback on web), and never persisted as the user's visible login password.

### Multi-signal-server auth flows

| Flow | Action | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Home login/register | `authenticateUser` | Resets local state, stores home credential + provision secret |
| Foreign login/register | `authorizeSignalServer` | Upserts credential for that URL only; home session unchanged |
| Auto-provision | `SignalServerProvisionerService` | Registers or logs in on foreign server using provision secret; on username collision tries suffixed username (`alice-<homeUserIdPrefix>`) |
| Foreign auth failure | `signalServerAuthFailed` | Clears that URL's credential and re-provisions when home token is still valid; global logout only when home server rejects auth |

Authorize UI: `/login?mode=authorize&serverId=…&returnUrl=…` (also supported on `/register`). Settings → Network shows per-endpoint `Authorized` / `Needs sign-in` badges.

Persisted local user state (`metoyou_currentUserId` + IndexedDB/SQLite profile) is **not** sufficient to use chat or presence. On startup, `loadCurrentUser$` requires a non-expired session token for the user's home signaling server (or any stored token as a fallback). Missing or rejected **home** tokens dispatch `SESSION_EXPIRED` and redirect to `/login`. Foreign-server `auth_required` / `auth_error` responses clear only that server's credential and attempt re-provision.

## Security considerations

- Rate limits: login/register (100 / 15 min), server join (30 / min).
- CORS allowlist: optional `corsAllowlist` in `server/data/variables.json` or `CORS_ALLOWLIST` env (comma-separated). Empty allowlist keeps permissive CORS for local development.
- Push-token routes require bearer auth and user-id match.
- RTC relay: direct-message/direct-call types always relay; server-icon types require shared server membership; WebRTC offer/answer/ice remain open for cross-server DM WebRTC.
