diff --git a/proposals/3860-media-download-redirect.md b/proposals/3860-media-download-redirect.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..90092aee9ff --- /dev/null +++ b/proposals/3860-media-download-redirect.md @@ -0,0 +1,61 @@ +# MSC3860: Media Download Redirects + +Currently the media download endpoints must return either a 200 with content or error responses. This +means the media server instance must stream the data from wherever it is stored, which is likely not +local to itself. Allowing redirects on these endpoints would make it possible for the media repo to +tell clients/servers to pull data direct from the source, e.g. a CDN. + +Additionally redirects could be used to avoid downloading media from untrusted homeservers. Currently +users can make their homeserver download, cache and proxy any matrix mid that I want, including +bad/illegal content. Allowing for a 307 redirect would permit cautious server operators to not +store and provide any media that floats in the matrixverse, but just refer to the "original" media. + +## Proposal + +This MSC proposes that a 307 or 308 redirect code is allowed and followed according to the `Location` +header. It is possible some clients would already follow these which needs to be confirmed. Specific +endpoints in question ([current spec link for these](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.6/client-server-api/#get_matrixmediav3downloadservernamemediaid)): + ++ `/_matrix/media/v3/download/{serverName}/{mediaId}` ++ `/_matrix/media/v3/download/{serverName}/{mediaId}/{fileName}` ++ `/_matrix/media/v3/thumbnail/{serverName}/{mediaId}` + +To prevent breaking clients that don't properly follow the redirect response this functionality will +be enabled by a query string flag `allow_redirect=true`. So specifically in the above cases if a +client respects redirect responses it can make requests like so to the media endpoints: + ++ `/_matrix/media/v3/download/{serverName}/{mediaId}?allow_redirect=true` ++ `/_matrix/media/v3/download/{serverName}/{mediaId}/{fileName}?allow_redirect=true` ++ `/_matrix/media/v3/thumbnail/{serverName}/{mediaId}?allow_redirect=true` + +In the case where a client wishes not to redirect (either implicitly with no parameter or explicitly +providing `allow_redirect=false`) the server must continue to serve media directly with no redirect. + +## Potential Issues + +None for clients, as opt-in functionality this change is 100% backwards compatible. + +With redirects it becomes easier to force another homeserver to be your CDN, which isn't great +(clients could already do that, but not without recompiling). + +Redirects also potentially allow changing of media underneath the users as different redirects could +be returned over time. It is worth noting that a badly behaving media server can already just return +different content as well. + +## Alternatives + +None at this time. + +## Security Considerations + +A media repo could redirect requests to a bad actor, although this would make the primary media +repo itself a bad actor, thus this does not present any increased security issues. + +## Unstable Prefix + +Until this functionality has landed in the spec, the `allow_redirect` query +parameter should be prefixed with `com.beeper.msc3860.`: + +``` +?com.beeper.msc3860.allow_redirect=true +```