MM-42810: Introduce a channel hook for a websocket event (#23812)

Sometimes a broad distinction of just a channelID or a userID
is not enough to efficiently send a websocket event to users.

In several cases, depending on the user and channel, we might
need to modify the message. Therefore, we introduce the
concept of a channel hook that will get executed if the scope
is set to a channel. This hook can be populated at the app layer
to perform any application specific logic to the event.

Care must be taken to avoid race conditions as the passed event
is not deep copied. It is left to the user to treat it carefully.

For this issue, the main problem was that since we don't know
which users have permissions to which channels, we had to go through
_all_ members of a channel to figure that out. This was redundant
since a large portion of those users might not even be connected
at that time.

We solve this with the channel hook where we push this check
to be performed later while actually sending the event. This
reduces the computation to be done only for _connected_ users
rather than _all_ users of a channel.

The next iteration of this should be to use websocket subscriptions
to monitor exactly which users are on that channel to even
trim down that list. That is a larger initiative to be taken later.

Tested locally with a channel of 50 users. Here are rough results:
```
With PR:
patchPost 97ms
createPost 90ms

Master:
patchPost 306ms
createPost - 298ms
```

https://mattermost.atlassian.net/browse/MM-42810

```release-note
Improve  performance while sending messages
with permalinks to channels with large number of users.
```

server/channels/app/authorization_test.go

@@ -69,6 +69,17 @@ func TestHasPermissionToTeam(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, th.App.HasPermissionToTeam(th.SystemAdminUser.Id, th.BasicTeam.Id, model.PermissionListTeamChannels))
 }
 
+func TestSessionHasPermissionToReadChannel(t *testing.T) {
+	th := Setup(t).InitBasic()
+	defer th.TearDown()
+
+	assert.True(t, th.App.HasPermissionToReadChannel(th.Context, th.BasicUser.Id, th.BasicChannel))
+	pc1 := th.CreatePrivateChannel(th.Context, th.BasicTeam)
+	assert.False(t, th.App.HasPermissionToReadChannel(th.Context, th.BasicUser2.Id, pc1))
+	th.AddUserToChannel(th.BasicUser2, pc1)
+	assert.True(t, th.App.HasPermissionToReadChannel(th.Context, th.BasicUser2.Id, pc1))
+}
+
 func TestSessionHasPermissionToChannel(t *testing.T) {
 	th := Setup(t).InitBasic()
 	defer th.TearDown()

server/channels/app/notification.go

@@ -484,12 +484,6 @@ func (a *App) SendNotifications(c request.CTX, post *model.Post, team *model.Tea
 	message := model.NewWebSocketEvent(model.WebsocketEventPosted, "", post.ChannelId, "", nil, "")
 
 	// Note that PreparePostForClient should've already been called by this point
-	postJSON, jsonErr := post.ToJSON()
-	if jsonErr != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrapf(jsonErr, "failed to encode post to JSON")
-	}
-	message.Add("post", postJSON)
-
 	message.Add("channel_type", channel.Type)
 	message.Add("channel_display_name", notification.GetChannelName(model.ShowUsername, ""))
 	message.Add("channel_name", channel.Name)
@@ -523,13 +517,10 @@ func (a *App) SendNotifications(c request.CTX, post *model.Post, team *model.Tea
 		message.Add("followers", model.ArrayToJSON(notificationsForCRT.Desktop))
 	}
 
-	published, err := a.publishWebsocketEventForPermalinkPost(c, post, message)
+	err := a.publishWebsocketEventForPost(c, post, message)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if !published {
-		a.Publish(message)
-	}
 
 	// If this is a reply in a thread, notify participants
 	if isCRTAllowed && post.RootId != "" {

server/channels/app/platform/web_conn.go

@@ -761,6 +761,17 @@ func (wc *WebConn) ShouldSendEvent(msg *model.WebSocketEvent) bool {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// The priority checks in order of specificity are:
+	// ConnectionId
+	// OmitConnectionId
+	//
+	// UserId
+	// OmitUserId
+	//
+	// ChannelId - is member of channel
+	// TeamId - is member of team
+	// Guest - does guest have access
+
 	// If the event is destined to a specific connection
 	if msg.GetBroadcast().ConnectionId != "" {
 		return wc.GetConnectionID() == msg.GetBroadcast().ConnectionId
@@ -789,6 +800,16 @@ func (wc *WebConn) ShouldSendEvent(msg *model.WebSocketEvent) bool {
 			wc.lastAllChannelMembersTime = 0
 		}
 
+		// Execute channel hook
+		if msg.GetBroadcast().ChannelHook != nil {
+			hasChange := msg.GetBroadcast().ChannelHook(wc.UserId, msg)
+			if hasChange {
+				// If hook returns true, that means message has been modified. We need
+				// to wipe off the pre-computed JSON
+				msg.RemovePrecomputedJSON()
+			}
+		}
+
 		if wc.allChannelMembers == nil {
 			result, err := wc.Platform.Store.Channel().GetAllChannelMembersForUser(wc.UserId, false, false)
 			if err != nil {

server/channels/app/platform/web_hub_test.go

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"runtime"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -126,6 +127,81 @@ func TestHubStopRaceCondition(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBroadcastChannelHook(t *testing.T) {
+	th := SetupWithStoreMock(t)
+	sess1 := &model.Session{
+		Id:             "id1",
+		UserId:         "user1",
+		DeviceId:       "",
+		Token:          "sesstoken",
+		ExpiresAt:      model.GetMillis() + 300000,
+		LastActivityAt: 10000,
+	}
+
+	mockStore := th.Service.Store.(*mocks.Store)
+
+	mockUserStore := mocks.UserStore{}
+	mockUserStore.On("Count", mock.Anything).Return(int64(10), nil)
+	mockUserStore.On("GetUnreadCount", mock.AnythingOfType("string"), mock.AnythingOfType("bool")).Return(int64(1), nil)
+	mockPostStore := mocks.PostStore{}
+	mockPostStore.On("GetMaxPostSize").Return(65535, nil)
+	mockSystemStore := mocks.SystemStore{}
+	mockSystemStore.On("GetByName", "UpgradedFromTE").Return(&model.System{Name: "UpgradedFromTE", Value: "false"}, nil)
+	mockSystemStore.On("GetByName", "InstallationDate").Return(&model.System{Name: "InstallationDate", Value: "10"}, nil)
+	mockSystemStore.On("GetByName", "FirstServerRunTimestamp").Return(&model.System{Name: "FirstServerRunTimestamp", Value: "10"}, nil)
+
+	mockSessionStore := mocks.SessionStore{}
+	mockSessionStore.On("UpdateLastActivityAt", "id1", mock.Anything).Return(nil)
+	mockSessionStore.On("Save", mock.AnythingOfType("*model.Session")).Return(sess1, nil)
+	mockSessionStore.On("Get", mock.Anything, "id1").Return(sess1, nil)
+	mockSessionStore.On("Remove", "id1").Return(nil)
+
+	mockStatusStore := mocks.StatusStore{}
+	mockStatusStore.On("Get", "user1").Return(&model.Status{UserId: "user1", Status: model.StatusOnline}, nil)
+	mockStatusStore.On("UpdateLastActivityAt", "user1", mock.Anything).Return(nil)
+	mockStatusStore.On("SaveOrUpdate", mock.AnythingOfType("*model.Status")).Return(nil)
+
+	mockOAuthStore := mocks.OAuthStore{}
+
+	mockChannelStore := mocks.ChannelStore{}
+
+	mockStore.On("Session").Return(&mockSessionStore)
+	mockStore.On("OAuth").Return(&mockOAuthStore)
+	mockStore.On("Status").Return(&mockStatusStore)
+	mockStore.On("User").Return(&mockUserStore)
+	mockStore.On("Post").Return(&mockPostStore)
+	mockStore.On("System").Return(&mockSystemStore)
+	mockStore.On("Channel").Return(&mockChannelStore)
+	mockStore.On("GetDBSchemaVersion").Return(1, nil)
+
+	s := httptest.NewServer(dummyWebsocketHandler(t))
+	defer s.Close()
+
+	session, err := th.Service.CreateSession(&model.Session{
+		UserId: "testid",
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	wc1 := registerDummyWebConn(t, th, s.Listener.Addr(), session)
+	wc1.SetConnectionID("connID")
+	hub := th.Service.GetHubForUserId(wc1.UserId)
+	mockChannelStore.On("GetAllChannelMembersForUser", wc1.UserId, false, false).Return(map[string]string{"channelID": "test"}, nil)
+
+	ev := model.NewWebSocketEvent("", "", "channelID", "", nil, "")
+	broadcast := ev.GetBroadcast()
+	var test atomic.Bool
+	broadcast.ChannelHook = func(_ string, ev *model.WebSocketEvent) bool {
+		test.Store(true)
+		return true
+	}
+	ev.SetBroadcast(broadcast)
+	hub.Broadcast(ev)
+	// Wait until the goroutines from NewWebConn are finished.
+	th.Service.waitForGoroutines()
+	th.TearDown()
+	assert.Equal(t, true, test.Load())
+}
+
 func TestHubSessionRevokeRace(t *testing.T) {
 	th := SetupWithStoreMock(t)
 	defer th.TearDown()

server/channels/app/post.go

@@ -597,12 +597,11 @@ func (a *App) UpdateEphemeralPost(c request.CTX, userID string, post *model.Post
 	message := model.NewWebSocketEvent(model.WebsocketEventPostEdited, "", post.ChannelId, userID, nil, "")
 	post = a.PreparePostForClientWithEmbedsAndImages(c, post, true, false, true)
 	post = model.AddPostActionCookies(post, a.PostActionCookieSecret())
-	postJSON, jsonErr := post.ToJSON()
+
-	if jsonErr != nil {
+	appErr := a.publishWebsocketEventForPost(c, post, message)
-		mlog.Warn("Failed to encode post to JSON", mlog.Err(jsonErr))
+	if appErr != nil {
+		mlog.Warn("Failed to send websocket event for ephemeral post", mlog.Err(appErr))
 	}
-	message.Add("post", postJSON)
-	a.Publish(message)
 
 	return post
 }
@@ -742,85 +741,95 @@ func (a *App) UpdatePost(c *request.Context, post *model.Post, safeUpdate bool)
 	}
 
 	message := model.NewWebSocketEvent(model.WebsocketEventPostEdited, "", rpost.ChannelId, "", nil, "")
-	postJSON, jsonErr := rpost.ToJSON()
-	if jsonErr != nil {
-		return nil, model.NewAppError("UpdatePost", "app.post.marshal.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusInternalServerError).Wrap(jsonErr)
-	}
-	message.Add("post", postJSON)
 
-	published, err := a.publishWebsocketEventForPermalinkPost(c, rpost, message)
+	err = a.publishWebsocketEventForPost(c, rpost, message)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if !published {
-		a.Publish(message)
-	}
 
 	a.invalidateCacheForChannelPosts(rpost.ChannelId)
 
 	return rpost, nil
 }
 
-func (a *App) publishWebsocketEventForPermalinkPost(c request.CTX, post *model.Post, message *model.WebSocketEvent) (published bool, err *model.AppError) {
+// publishWebsocketEventForPost publishes the websocket event only for post create/edit.
-	var previewedPostID string
+// The cases of post delete/unread does not need special handling as they don't bother
-	if val, ok := post.GetProp(model.PostPropsPreviewedPost).(string); ok {
+// with the post content.
-		previewedPostID = val
+//
-	} else {
+// This method assumes that if there's a permalink, it's already attached to the post.
-		return false, nil
+// If the user doesn't have access then this method will wipe that off.
+func (a *App) publishWebsocketEventForPost(c request.CTX, post *model.Post, message *model.WebSocketEvent) (appErr *model.AppError) {
+	postJSON, jsonErr := post.ToJSON()
+	if jsonErr != nil {
+		return model.NewAppError("publishWebsocketEventForPost", "app.post.marshal.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusInternalServerError).Wrap(jsonErr)
 	}
+	message.Add("post", postJSON)
 
-	if !model.IsValidId(previewedPostID) {
+	defer func() {
-		mlog.Warn("invalid post prop value", mlog.String("prop_key", model.PostPropsPreviewedPost), mlog.String("prop_value", previewedPostID))
+		if appErr == nil {
-		return false, nil
+			a.Publish(message)
-	}
-
-	previewedPost, err := a.GetSinglePost(previewedPostID, false)
-	if err != nil {
-		if err.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
-			mlog.Warn("permalinked post not found", mlog.String("referenced_post_id", previewedPostID))
-			return false, nil
-		}
-		return false, err
-	}
-
-	channelMembers, err := a.GetChannelMembersPage(c, post.ChannelId, 0, 10000000)
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-
-	permalinkPreviewedChannel, err := a.GetChannel(c, previewedPost.ChannelId)
-	if err != nil {
-		if err.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
-			mlog.Warn("channel containing permalinked post not found", mlog.String("referenced_channel_id", previewedPost.ChannelId))
-			return false, nil
-		}
-		return false, err
 		}
+	}()
 
 	permalinkPreviewedPost := post.GetPreviewPost()
-	for _, cm := range channelMembers {
+	if permalinkPreviewedPost == nil {
-		if permalinkPreviewedPost != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if !model.IsValidId(permalinkPreviewedPost.PostID) {
+		mlog.Warn("invalid preview post ID", mlog.String("prop_value", permalinkPreviewedPost.PostID))
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// To remain secure by default, we wipe out the metadata unconditionally.
+	post.Metadata.Embeds[0].Data = nil
+	postWithoutPermalinkPreviewJSON, err := post.ToJSON()
+	if err != nil {
+		return model.NewAppError("publishWebsocketEventForPost", "app.post.marshal.app_error", nil, "", http.StatusInternalServerError).Wrap(jsonErr)
+	}
+
+	var previewedPost *model.Post
+	previewedPost, appErr = a.GetSinglePost(permalinkPreviewedPost.PostID, false)
+	if appErr != nil {
+		if appErr.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
+			mlog.Warn("permalinked post not found", mlog.String("referenced_post_id", permalinkPreviewedPost.PostID))
+			return nil
+		}
+		return appErr
+	}
+
+	var permalinkPreviewedChannel *model.Channel
+	permalinkPreviewedChannel, appErr = a.GetChannel(c, previewedPost.ChannelId)
+	if appErr != nil {
+		if appErr.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
+			mlog.Warn("channel containing permalinked post not found", mlog.String("referenced_channel_id", previewedPost.ChannelId))
+			return nil
+		}
+		return appErr
+	}
+
+	// In case the user does have permission to read, we set the metadata back.
+	// Note that this is the return value to the post creator, and has nothing to do
+	// with the content of the websocket broadcast to that user or any other.
+	if a.HasPermissionToReadChannel(c, post.UserId, permalinkPreviewedChannel) {
 		post.Metadata.Embeds[0].Data = permalinkPreviewedPost
 	}
 
-		postForUser := a.sanitizePostMetadataForUserAndChannel(c, post, permalinkPreviewedPost, permalinkPreviewedChannel, cm.UserId)
+	broadcastCopy := message.GetBroadcast()
-
+	broadcastCopy.ChannelHook = func(userID string, ev *model.WebSocketEvent) bool {
-		// Using DeepCopy here to avoid a race condition
+		if a.HasPermissionToReadChannel(c, userID, permalinkPreviewedChannel) {
-		// between publishing the event and setting the "post" data value below.
+			// If there is no change, then the original post which was attached
-		messageCopy := message.DeepCopy()
+			// (at the start of the method) will get sent.
-		broadcastCopy := messageCopy.GetBroadcast()
+			return false
-		broadcastCopy.UserId = cm.UserId
-		messageCopy.SetBroadcast(broadcastCopy)
-
-		postJSON, jsonErr := postForUser.ToJSON()
-		if jsonErr != nil {
-			mlog.Warn("Failed to encode post to JSON", mlog.Err(jsonErr))
-		}
-		messageCopy.Add("post", postJSON)
-		a.Publish(messageCopy)
 		}
 
-	return true, nil
+		ev.AddWithCopy("post", postWithoutPermalinkPreviewJSON)
+		return true
+
+	}
+	message.SetBroadcast(broadcastCopy)
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (a *App) PatchPost(c *request.Context, postID string, patch *model.PostPatch) (*model.Post, *model.AppError) {

server/channels/app/post_metadata.go

@@ -190,18 +190,6 @@ func (a *App) getEmbedsAndImages(c request.CTX, post *model.Post, isNewPost bool
 	return post
 }
 
-func (a *App) sanitizePostMetadataForUserAndChannel(c request.CTX, post *model.Post, previewedPost *model.PreviewPost, previewedChannel *model.Channel, userID string) *model.Post {
-	if post.Metadata == nil || len(post.Metadata.Embeds) == 0 || previewedPost == nil {
-		return post
-	}
-
-	if previewedChannel != nil && !a.HasPermissionToReadChannel(c, userID, previewedChannel) {
-		post.Metadata.Embeds[0].Data = nil
-	}
-
-	return post
-}
-
 func (a *App) SanitizePostMetadataForUser(c request.CTX, post *model.Post, userID string) (*model.Post, *model.AppError) {
 	if post.Metadata == nil || len(post.Metadata.Embeds) == 0 {
 		return post, nil

server/channels/app/post_metadata_test.go

@@ -2765,58 +2765,6 @@ func TestContainsPermalink(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestSanitizePostMetadataForUserAndChannel(t *testing.T) {
-	th := Setup(t).InitBasic()
-	defer th.TearDown()
-
-	th.App.UpdateConfig(func(cfg *model.Config) {
-		*cfg.ServiceSettings.EnableLinkPreviews = true
-		*cfg.ServiceSettings.SiteURL = "http://mymattermost.com"
-	})
-
-	directChannel, err := th.App.createDirectChannel(th.Context, th.BasicUser.Id, th.BasicUser2.Id)
-	assert.Nil(t, err)
-
-	userID := model.NewId()
-	post := &model.Post{
-		Id: userID,
-		Metadata: &model.PostMetadata{
-			Embeds: []*model.PostEmbed{
-				{
-					Type: model.PostEmbedOpengraph,
-					URL:  "ogURL",
-					Data: &opengraph.OpenGraph{
-						Images: []*ogimage.Image{
-							{
-								URL: "imageURL",
-							},
-						},
-					},
-				},
-			},
-		},
-	}
-
-	previewedPost := model.NewPreviewPost(post, th.BasicTeam, directChannel)
-
-	actual := th.App.sanitizePostMetadataForUserAndChannel(th.Context, post, previewedPost, directChannel, th.BasicUser2.Id)
-	assert.NotNil(t, actual.Metadata.Embeds[0].Data)
-
-	guestID := model.NewId()
-	guest := &model.User{
-		Email:         "success+" + guestID + "@simulator.amazonses.com",
-		Username:      "un_" + guestID,
-		Nickname:      "nn_" + guestID,
-		Password:      "Password1",
-		EmailVerified: true,
-	}
-	guest, appErr := th.App.CreateGuest(th.Context, guest)
-	require.Nil(t, appErr)
-
-	actual = th.App.sanitizePostMetadataForUserAndChannel(th.Context, post, previewedPost, directChannel, guest.Id)
-	assert.Nil(t, actual.Metadata.Embeds[0].Data)
-}
-
 func TestSanitizePostMetaDataForAudit(t *testing.T) {
 	th := Setup(t).InitBasic()
 	defer th.TearDown()

server/public/model/websocket_message.go

@@ -92,12 +92,13 @@ type WebSocketMessage interface {
 }
 
 type WebsocketBroadcast struct {
-	OmitUsers             map[string]bool `json:"omit_users"`                        // broadcast is omitted for users listed here
-	UserId                string          `json:"user_id"`                           // broadcast only occurs for this user
-	ChannelId             string          `json:"channel_id"`                        // broadcast only occurs for users in this channel
-	TeamId                string          `json:"team_id"`                           // broadcast only occurs for users in this team
 	ConnectionId          string                                       `json:"connection_id"`                     // broadcast only occurs for this connection
 	OmitConnectionId      string                                       `json:"omit_connection_id"`                // broadcast is omitted for this connection
+	UserId                string                                       `json:"user_id"`                           // broadcast only occurs for this user
+	OmitUsers             map[string]bool                              `json:"omit_users"`                        // broadcast is omitted for users listed here
+	ChannelId             string                                       `json:"channel_id"`                        // broadcast only occurs for users in this channel
+	ChannelHook           func(userID string, ev *WebSocketEvent) bool `json:"-"`                                 // ChannelHook is a function that runs for a channel scoped event. It can be used to modify the event payload based on some custom logic that runs only for connected users. The return value indicates whether the websocket event was modified or not.
+	TeamId                string                                       `json:"team_id"`                           // broadcast only occurs for users in this team
 	ContainsSanitizedData bool                                         `json:"contains_sanitized_data,omitempty"` // broadcast only occurs for non-sysadmins
 	ContainsSensitiveData bool                                         `json:"contains_sensitive_data,omitempty"` // broadcast only occurs for sysadmins
 	// ReliableClusterSend indicates whether or not the message should
@@ -189,10 +190,21 @@ func (ev *WebSocketEvent) PrecomputeJSON() *WebSocketEvent {
 	return evCopy
 }
 
+func (ev *WebSocketEvent) RemovePrecomputedJSON() {
+	ev.precomputedJSON = nil
+}
+
 func (ev *WebSocketEvent) Add(key string, value any) {
 	ev.data[key] = value
 }
 
+// AddWithCopy copies the map and writes to a copy of that,
+// and sets the map to the new event.
+func (ev *WebSocketEvent) AddWithCopy(key string, value any) {
+	ev.data = copyMap(ev.data)
+	ev.data[key] = value
+}
+
 func NewWebSocketEvent(event, teamId, channelId, userId string, omitUsers map[string]bool, omitConnectionId string) *WebSocketEvent {
 	return &WebSocketEvent{
 		event: event,
@@ -218,17 +230,9 @@ func (ev *WebSocketEvent) Copy() *WebSocketEvent {
 }
 
 func (ev *WebSocketEvent) DeepCopy() *WebSocketEvent {
-	var dataCopy map[string]any
-	if ev.data != nil {
-		dataCopy = make(map[string]any, len(ev.data))
-		for k, v := range ev.data {
-			dataCopy[k] = v
-		}
-	}
-
 	evCopy := &WebSocketEvent{
 		event:           ev.event,
-		data:            dataCopy,
+		data:            copyMap(ev.data),
 		broadcast:       ev.broadcast.copy(),
 		sequence:        ev.sequence,
 		precomputedJSON: ev.precomputedJSON.copy(),
@@ -236,6 +240,14 @@ func (ev *WebSocketEvent) DeepCopy() *WebSocketEvent {
 	return evCopy
 }
 
+func copyMap[K comparable, V any](m map[K]V) map[K]V {
+	dataCopy := make(map[K]V, len(m))
+	for k, v := range m {
+		dataCopy[k] = v
+	}
+	return dataCopy
+}
+
 func (ev *WebSocketEvent) GetData() map[string]any {
 	return ev.data
 }