# Shade V2.1 — Improvements (infrastructure, storage, operations, security) This document describes **improvements** agreed for next-generation work on Shade: clearer product story, stronger storage, mobile parity, operational hardening, transfer abuse, and a formal security narrative. **Audience:** **Maintainers and contributors** implementing the changes. Add status fields as items land in code/docs. --- ## 1. Clear “who is the server?” and data flow **Problem:** New users may think the prekey server is a message hub or that all E2EE traffic goes through the Shade container. **Goal:** One consistent explanation across the root README, package READMEs, and optional onboarding: **the prekey server distributes public keys and bundles**; **actual messages and (typically) file chunks go through your app’s own channel** (your transport, your backend, your URLs). **Deliverables (proposal):** - Diagram + short “keys vs payloads” text in the root README and in `@shade/server` README. - Link to `THREAT-MODEL.md` from the same section (MITM on first contact ↔ safety numbers). - Optionally one “concept page” (or extend `MIGRATION.md`) with typical architecture: *A ↔ B via app; both talk to the prekey host for X3DH material*. **Acceptance criteria:** A new developer without domain background understands in one reading *what* goes to the Shade server and *what* does not. --- ## 2. Optional encryption of storage (at-rest) **Problem:** `THREAT-MODEL.md` states that a stolen DB + filesystem can expose private keys because Shade does not encrypt the storage layer by default. **Goal:** **Opt-in** protection for sensitive state (identity, session, optional stream resume secrets) with keys that **do not** live in plaintext in the DB — e.g. OS keychain/Keystore, passphrase + KDF, or an explicit device key injected by the app. **Design principles:** - Default developer experience (dev, simple demos) stays unchanged or includes a clear “insecure mode” warning in docs. - APIs implementable per platform (Bun/SQLite, Postgres, web/IndexedDB, Android). - Document limitations: what remains uncovered (e.g. active memory compromise). **Acceptance criteria:** Threat model updated for “when encrypted storage is enabled”; at least one reference implementation + migration note. --- ## 3. Android parity and a published roadmap **Problem:** `shade-android` is under development; drift from the TS SDK undermines the “byte-compatible” promise. **Goal:** A **published roadmap** (milestones + what counts as parity vs TS-only) and **CI running shared test vectors** as a merge gate before release. **Deliverables:** - Roadmap section in `android/shade-android/README.md` or dedicated `ROADMAP-ANDROID.md` with explicit cross-checkpoints: wire format, fingerprints, rotations, streams (`0x11`) where applicable, resume semantics. - CI job that fails on Kotlin vs TS vector mismatch. **Acceptance criteria:** Parity coverage is visible and enforceable; the first critical cross-surface (e.g. core ratchet + proto) is green before a “production” label. --- ## 4. Operational hardening — prekey container and production **Problem:** Many teams deploy the Docker image quickly; mistakes around TLS, backups, and secrets add avoidable risk. **Goal:** A **production checklist**: TLS termination, volume backup (`/data`), rotation of `SHADE_OBSERVER_TOKEN`, use of `SHADE_PREKEY_PG_URL` vs SQLite, observability hooks, logging levels, meaning of stale cleanup parameters. **Deliverables:** - Extend `docs/DEPLOYMENT.md` or add short `docs/PRODUCTION-CHECKLIST.md` with bullet defaults. - Link from the main README under “Deployment”. **Acceptance criteria:** A checklist operators can follow without reading the whole codebase first. --- ## 5. Abuse and resource limits on the transfer plane **Problem:** Parallel lanes and large uploads can be abused for resource or storage if consumer mounts of `createTransferRoutes()` share no coherent policy. **Goal:** Documented **limits and patterns**: authentication (already an active SDK topic), max stream size, TTL for temporary chunk storage, quotas per identity or IP where sensible. **Deliverables:** - Guidelines in `docs/streams.md` or a dedicated “Transfer hardening” section. - Optional helpers or middleware examples in `@shade/transfer` / server routes for common limits (without forcing every deployment into one DB model). **Acceptance criteria:** A clear “recommended minimum” for production that teams can copy. --- ## 6. Security review and formal test / narrative **Problem:** Enterprises and security-conscious users often ask for independent review and a traceable test matrix. **Goal:** Plan for **independent crypto review** (timing, scope, deliverables) and a **published test / threat matrix** linking `THREAT-MODEL.md` to concrete automated tests (replay, tamper, out-of-order, resume, etc.). **Deliverables:** - Internal checklist “preparing for external review” (which files, assumptions, known limits). - Short section in `SECURITY.md` on review status and how to report findings. **Acceptance criteria:** One authoritative source for “what is tested automatically” vs “what needs manual/MITM/out-of-band process”. --- ## Dependencies and order (proposal) | Priority | Topic | Note | |---------|-------|------| | Low friction | §1, §4 | Documentation and checklists only | | Medium | §5 | Design + docs + possibly small API helpers | | High effort | §2, §3 | Platform work and long-term maintenance | | Coordinated | §6 | Parallel with maturity in §2–§5 | --- ## Document versioning - **V2.1** — first consolidated plan for the six improvement areas above. Update with dates and short per-section status lines as work starts and completes. Gitt der du er nå (post-streams 0.2.0), ville jeg prioritert: 1. Sosial nøkkel-recovery — løser "hva skjer hvis jeg mister telefonen?" som er det store hullet i alle E2EE-systemer 2. P2P WebRTC transport — naturlig kompletterende til streams; gir massiv throughput-gevinst gratis 3. E2EE Pub/Sub — lavt scope, høy nytte, og passer perfekt med din "magic drop-in"-filosofi Disse tre har alle samme egenskap: de er infrastruktur-features som hver app du bygger fremover vil dra nytte av, ikke bare Dispatch. Helt i tråd med "Shade som komponent som dras inn i hvilket som helst prosjekt". /btw Hva med Shade videostreaming, VOIP streaming, og lignende? Magic drop-in-tilnærming (din filosofi) Tenk deg at i en Dispatch-app kan du bare gjøre: …og det bare fungerer, E2EE, P2P når mulig, fallback til relay automatisk. Det er det samme mønsteret som streams 0.2.0, bare for sanntid. Realisme-sjekk Video/VOIP er det vanskeligste i hele E2EE-verdenen. Signal brukte år på å få det riktig. Du bør: 1. Ferdigstille streams 0.2.0 først (verifiserer crypto-fundamentet) 2. Bygge P2P WebRTC-transport som separat milestone 3. Da har du alle byggeklossene og Voice 0.4.0 blir 70% gjenbruk Men ja — dette hører absolutt hjemme i Shade. Shade som "alt-i-ett E2EE-platform" er en mye sterkere posisjon enn "bare messaging + filer". Du kan bli til E2EE hva Twilio er til vanlig kommunikasjon.