Verifying Users

Verify a User

Matrix-Synapse/Element provides the ability to establish trust of another user's keys. This mechanism will then warn you if that person's account gets compromised and sends you messages from a session they have not verified.

Check for Unverified Sessions

From yourself

To check your own sessions, login to Element Web, Element Desktop, or Element Web. Open Settings and go to "Sessions". Element will warn your if you have a unverified session

You can action this warning by scrolling down to find the exact device.

If you wish to remove the unverified device, you can click "Manage this session", then log in with your Firehawk-Systems account.

You can then click "Remove device"

From other users

It's important to be vigilant for unverified sessions among your contacts. Element will clearly warn you if a chat contains participants with unverified sessions by a red alert shield in the following places:

Next to the message input box

In the chat detail screen

In the chat's "People" list, next to the participants who has a unverified session

And with each message from a unverified session.

Establish Trust

All new users are in a neutral trust state initially. Select a chat of a user you wish to verify

Element Web/Desktop

Open settings by either pressing the info bubble

Click on "People" then click on the user's name.

A "Verify User" button will be visible under their profile picture

Element X

Open the settings by clicking on the chat name

Scroll down to "Profile"

Select "Verify user"

Complete Verification

The other user will receive a verification request.

They will then be presented with supported methods of verification.

Some devices support QR-code verification, which requires the device requesting verification to scan the QR code on the other, implying proximity. Another method is emoji verification, which exchanges a key in the background and requires matching the set of emojis on each device to ensure the integrity of the exchange remained.

When both parties press "They match", the verification process will conclude