From c4e29b6908ac8ae57b5e9a3e7662ad638b61e94a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Richard van der Hoff <1389908+richvdh@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:29:31 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] Improve documentation around user registration (#13640) Update a bunch of the documentation for user registration, add some cross links, etc. --- changelog.d/13640.doc | 1 + docs/admin_api/register_api.md | 6 +- docs/setup/installation.md | 23 +- .../configuration/config_documentation.md | 209 ++++++++++-------- 4 files changed, 135 insertions(+), 104 deletions(-) create mode 100644 changelog.d/13640.doc diff --git a/changelog.d/13640.doc b/changelog.d/13640.doc new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..fa049371cf --- /dev/null +++ b/changelog.d/13640.doc @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +Improve documentation around user registration. diff --git a/docs/admin_api/register_api.md b/docs/admin_api/register_api.md index d7b7cf6a76..f6be31b443 100644 --- a/docs/admin_api/register_api.md +++ b/docs/admin_api/register_api.md @@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ non-interactive way. This is generally used for bootstrapping a Synapse instance with administrator accounts. To authenticate yourself to the server, you will need both the shared secret -(`registration_shared_secret` in the homeserver configuration), and a -one-time nonce. If the registration shared secret is not configured, this API -is not enabled. +([`registration_shared_secret`](../configuration/config_documentation.md#registration_shared_secret) +in the homeserver configuration), and a one-time nonce. If the registration +shared secret is not configured, this API is not enabled. To fetch the nonce, you need to request one from the API: diff --git a/docs/setup/installation.md b/docs/setup/installation.md index 260e50577b..bb78b3267a 100644 --- a/docs/setup/installation.md +++ b/docs/setup/installation.md @@ -506,9 +506,13 @@ email will be disabled. ### Registering a user -The easiest way to create a new user is to do so from a client like [Element](https://element.io/). +One way to create a new user is to do so from a client like +[Element](https://element.io/). This requires registration to be enabled via +the +[`enable_registration`](../usage/configuration/config_documentation.md#enable_registration) +setting. -Alternatively, you can do so from the command line. This can be done as follows: +Alternatively, you can create new users from the command line. This can be done as follows: 1. If synapse was installed via pip, activate the virtualenv as follows (if Synapse was installed via a prebuilt package, `register_new_matrix_user` should already be @@ -520,7 +524,7 @@ Alternatively, you can do so from the command line. This can be done as follows: ``` 2. Run the following command: ```sh - register_new_matrix_user -c homeserver.yaml http://localhost:8008 + register_new_matrix_user -c homeserver.yaml ``` This will prompt you to add details for the new user, and will then connect to @@ -533,12 +537,13 @@ Make admin [no]: Success! ``` -This process uses a setting `registration_shared_secret` in -`homeserver.yaml`, which is shared between Synapse itself and the -`register_new_matrix_user` script. It doesn't matter what it is (a random -value is generated by `--generate-config`), but it should be kept secret, as -anyone with knowledge of it can register users, including admin accounts, -on your server even if `enable_registration` is `false`. +This process uses a setting +[`registration_shared_secret`](../usage/configuration/config_documentation.md#registration_shared_secret), +which is shared between Synapse itself and the `register_new_matrix_user` +script. It doesn't matter what it is (a random value is generated by +`--generate-config`), but it should be kept secret, as anyone with knowledge of +it can register users, including admin accounts, on your server even if +`enable_registration` is `false`. ### Setting up a TURN server diff --git a/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md b/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md index 4c59e3dcf2..c0cfe5dcea 100644 --- a/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md +++ b/docs/usage/configuration/config_documentation.md @@ -1873,8 +1873,8 @@ See [here](../../CAPTCHA_SETUP.md) for full details on setting up captcha. --- ### `recaptcha_public_key` -This homeserver's ReCAPTCHA public key. Must be specified if `enable_registration_captcha` is -enabled. +This homeserver's ReCAPTCHA public key. Must be specified if +[`enable_registration_captcha`](#enable_registration_captcha) is enabled. Example configuration: ```yaml @@ -1883,7 +1883,8 @@ recaptcha_public_key: "YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY" --- ### `recaptcha_private_key` -This homeserver's ReCAPTCHA private key. Must be specified if `enable_registration_captcha` is +This homeserver's ReCAPTCHA private key. Must be specified if +[`enable_registration_captcha`](#enable_registration_captcha) is enabled. Example configuration: @@ -1893,9 +1894,11 @@ recaptcha_private_key: "YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY" --- ### `enable_registration_captcha` -Set to true to enable ReCaptcha checks when registering, preventing signup -unless a captcha is answered. Requires a valid ReCaptcha public/private key. -Defaults to false. +Set to `true` to require users to complete a CAPTCHA test when registering an account. +Requires a valid ReCaptcha public/private key. +Defaults to `false`. + +Note that [`enable_registration`](#enable_registration) must also be set to allow account registration. Example configuration: ```yaml @@ -1971,9 +1974,21 @@ Registration can be rate-limited using the parameters in the [Ratelimiting](#rat --- ### `enable_registration` -Enable registration for new users. Defaults to false. It is highly recommended that if you enable registration, -you use either captcha, email, or token-based verification to verify that new users are not bots. In order to enable registration -without any verification, you must also set `enable_registration_without_verification` to true. +Enable registration for new users. Defaults to `false`. + +It is highly recommended that if you enable registration, you set one or more +or the following options, to avoid abuse of your server by "bots": + + * [`enable_registration_captcha`](#enable_registration_captcha) + * [`registrations_require_3pid`](#registrations_require_3pid) + * [`registration_requires_token`](#registration_requires_token) + +(In order to enable registration without any verification, you must also set +[`enable_registration_without_verification`](#enable_registration_without_verification).) + +Note that even if this setting is disabled, new accounts can still be created +via the admin API if +[`registration_shared_secret`](#registration_shared_secret) is set. Example configuration: ```yaml @@ -1981,88 +1996,21 @@ enable_registration: true ``` --- ### `enable_registration_without_verification` + Enable registration without email or captcha verification. Note: this option is *not* recommended, -as registration without verification is a known vector for spam and abuse. Defaults to false. Has no effect -unless `enable_registration` is also enabled. +as registration without verification is a known vector for spam and abuse. Defaults to `false`. Has no effect +unless [`enable_registration`](#enable_registration) is also enabled. Example configuration: ```yaml enable_registration_without_verification: true ``` --- -### `session_lifetime` - -Time that a user's session remains valid for, after they log in. - -Note that this is not currently compatible with guest logins. - -Note also that this is calculated at login time: changes are not applied retrospectively to users who have already -logged in. - -By default, this is infinite. - -Example configuration: -```yaml -session_lifetime: 24h -``` ----- -### `refresh_access_token_lifetime` - -Time that an access token remains valid for, if the session is using refresh tokens. - -For more information about refresh tokens, please see the [manual](user_authentication/refresh_tokens.md). - -Note that this only applies to clients which advertise support for refresh tokens. - -Note also that this is calculated at login time and refresh time: changes are not applied to -existing sessions until they are refreshed. - -By default, this is 5 minutes. - -Example configuration: -```yaml -refreshable_access_token_lifetime: 10m -``` ---- -### `refresh_token_lifetime: 24h` - -Time that a refresh token remains valid for (provided that it is not -exchanged for another one first). -This option can be used to automatically log-out inactive sessions. -Please see the manual for more information. - -Note also that this is calculated at login time and refresh time: -changes are not applied to existing sessions until they are refreshed. - -By default, this is infinite. - -Example configuration: -```yaml -refresh_token_lifetime: 24h -``` ---- -### `nonrefreshable_access_token_lifetime` - -Time that an access token remains valid for, if the session is NOT -using refresh tokens. - -Please note that not all clients support refresh tokens, so setting -this to a short value may be inconvenient for some users who will -then be logged out frequently. - -Note also that this is calculated at login time: changes are not applied -retrospectively to existing sessions for users that have already logged in. - -By default, this is infinite. - -Example configuration: -```yaml -nonrefreshable_access_token_lifetime: 24h -``` ---- ### `registrations_require_3pid` -If this is set, the user must provide all of the specified types of 3PID when registering. +If this is set, users must provide all of the specified types of 3PID when registering an account. + +Note that [`enable_registration`](#enable_registration) must also be set to allow account registration. Example configuration: ```yaml @@ -2110,9 +2058,11 @@ enable_3pid_lookup: false Require users to submit a token during registration. Tokens can be managed using the admin [API](../administration/admin_api/registration_tokens.md). -Note that `enable_registration` must be set to true. Disabling this option will not delete any tokens previously generated. -Defaults to false. Set to true to enable. +Defaults to `false`. Set to `true` to enable. + + +Note that [`enable_registration`](#enable_registration) must also be set to allow account registration. Example configuration: ```yaml @@ -2121,8 +2071,13 @@ registration_requires_token: true --- ### `registration_shared_secret` -If set, allows registration of standard or admin accounts by anyone who -has the shared secret, even if registration is otherwise disabled. +If set, allows registration of standard or admin accounts by anyone who has the +shared secret, even if [`enable_registration`](#enable_registration) is not +set. + +This is primarily intended for use with the `register_new_matrix_user` script +(see [Registering a user](../../setup/installation.md#registering-a-user)); +however, the interface is [documented](../admin_api/register_api.html). See also [`registration_shared_secret_path`](#registration_shared_secret_path). @@ -2379,6 +2334,79 @@ Example configuration: ```yaml inhibit_user_in_use_error: true ``` +--- +## User session management +--- +### `session_lifetime` + +Time that a user's session remains valid for, after they log in. + +Note that this is not currently compatible with guest logins. + +Note also that this is calculated at login time: changes are not applied retrospectively to users who have already +logged in. + +By default, this is infinite. + +Example configuration: +```yaml +session_lifetime: 24h +``` +---- +### `refresh_access_token_lifetime` + +Time that an access token remains valid for, if the session is using refresh tokens. + +For more information about refresh tokens, please see the [manual](user_authentication/refresh_tokens.md). + +Note that this only applies to clients which advertise support for refresh tokens. + +Note also that this is calculated at login time and refresh time: changes are not applied to +existing sessions until they are refreshed. + +By default, this is 5 minutes. + +Example configuration: +```yaml +refreshable_access_token_lifetime: 10m +``` +--- +### `refresh_token_lifetime: 24h` + +Time that a refresh token remains valid for (provided that it is not +exchanged for another one first). +This option can be used to automatically log-out inactive sessions. +Please see the manual for more information. + +Note also that this is calculated at login time and refresh time: +changes are not applied to existing sessions until they are refreshed. + +By default, this is infinite. + +Example configuration: +```yaml +refresh_token_lifetime: 24h +``` +--- +### `nonrefreshable_access_token_lifetime` + +Time that an access token remains valid for, if the session is NOT +using refresh tokens. + +Please note that not all clients support refresh tokens, so setting +this to a short value may be inconvenient for some users who will +then be logged out frequently. + +Note also that this is calculated at login time: changes are not applied +retrospectively to existing sessions for users that have already logged in. + +By default, this is infinite. + +Example configuration: +```yaml +nonrefreshable_access_token_lifetime: 24h +``` + --- ## Metrics ### Config options related to metrics. @@ -2666,13 +2694,10 @@ key_server_signing_keys_path: "key_server_signing_keys.key" The following settings can be used to make Synapse use a single sign-on provider for authentication, instead of its internal password database. -You will probably also want to set the following options to false to +You will probably also want to set the following options to `false` to disable the regular login/registration flows: - * `enable_registration` - * `password_config.enabled` - -You will also want to investigate the settings under the "sso" configuration -section below. + * [`enable_registration`](#enable_registration) + * [`password_config.enabled`](#password_config) --- ### `saml2_config`