# Aether — Permissions and Security

**Last updated:** 2026-02-27
**Source of truth:** `src/lib/ae_utils/ae_utils__perm_checks.ts`, `src/lib/stores/ae_stores.ts`

---

## Access Level Hierarchy

Highest to lowest. Each level **inherits all access from every level below it**.

| Level | `access_type` string | Typical Use |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Super | `super` | OSIT internal — full system access |
| Manager | `manager` | Account managers |
| Administrator | `administrator` | Event/account admins |
| Trusted | `trusted` | **Onsite staff** — site passcode or AE login |
| Public | `public` | Site-wide passcode granted |
| Authenticated | `authenticated` | Identity verified (e.g. IDAA Novi UUID) |
| Anonymous | `anonymous` | Default — not signed in |

> **Note on Public vs Authenticated:** `public` is a *site-wide* unlock (anyone with the passcode). `authenticated` verifies a *specific identity*. In the hierarchy, public outranks authenticated because it implies broader site access.

---

## `$ae_loc` Store — Permission Flags

`$ae_loc` is a `persisted()` store (backed by localStorage). Key fields:

```typescript
$ae_loc.access_type          // string: current access type ('anonymous', 'trusted', etc.)

// Cumulative boolean flags (true = "you have AT LEAST this level")
$ae_loc.anonymous_access     // always true
$ae_loc.authenticated_access // true from authenticated and above
$ae_loc.public_access        // true from public and above
$ae_loc.trusted_access       // true from trusted and above ← most-used gate
$ae_loc.administrator_access // true from administrator and above
$ae_loc.manager_access       // true from manager and above
$ae_loc.super_access         // true only at super

// Exclusive check flags (true = "you are EXACTLY this level")
$ae_loc.trusted_check        // true only if access_type === 'trusted'
$ae_loc.administrator_check  // etc.
// (rarely needed — prefer the _access flags)

// Behavior flags
$ae_loc.edit_mode            // boolean — user preference, see below
$ae_loc.adv_mode             // boolean — advanced mode toggle
```

### Additional intermediate levels (in permission checks, not in hierarchy order)
`support`, `assistant`, `verified`, `provisional` — appear in `_access` flags but are not part of the canonical `access_level_order`. Treat as internal/intermediate.

---

## Edit Mode — Critical Rules

`$ae_loc.edit_mode` is a **user preference**, not a permission level.

**Rules that must never be broken:**
1. **Components must never write to `$ae_loc.edit_mode`** — only the system menu toggle and sign-out/permission-drop handlers may change it.
2. Edit mode is only available to `trusted` and above in 95% of modules (the toggle is hidden from lower-access users).
3. Edit mode persists across navigation — it is NOT reset by page loads or component mounts.
4. Sign-out and permission drops to below `authenticated` should reset `edit_mode` to `false`.

> **Background:** A bug was fixed (2026-02-27) where `ae_comp__badge_obj_view.svelte` was writing `$ae_loc.edit_mode = false` in a data-loading `$effect`, silently overriding the user's preference on every navigation to the badge print page.

---

## Authentication Methods

| Method | Grants | Used For |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Site passcode (`site_access_code_kv`) | `trusted`, `public`, or `authenticated` | Onsite staff and event attendees |
| AE Username + Password | `trusted` and above | Staff with AE accounts |
| Novi UUID | `authenticated` | IDAA members (Novi membership system) |

Passcodes are stored per-level in `$ae_loc.site_access_code_kv`:
```typescript
site_access_code_kv: {
    administrator: null,  // highest passcode tier
    trusted: null,        // onsite staff passcode
    public: 'public1980', // example
    authenticated: 'auth1980'
}
```

---

## Utility Functions

### `process_permission_checks(access_type: string)`
Returns a full permission object (`_check` and `_access` flags) for a given access type string. Used when access type changes to update `$ae_loc`.

```typescript
import { process_permission_checks } from '$lib/ae_utils/ae_utils__perm_checks';
const checks = process_permission_checks('trusted');
// checks.trusted_access === true
// checks.administrator_access === false
```

### `compare_access_levels(level_a, level_b)`
Returns `1` if `level_a` is higher, `-1` if lower, `0` if equal. Useful for threshold comparisons.

---

## Privacy and Security Rules

### IDAA — International Doctors in Alcoholics Anonymous
- **ALL IDAA content is private. Always. No exceptions.**
- BB (Bulletin Board / Posts), Archives, Recovery Meetings — all require authentication.
- IDAA users authenticate via Novi UUID at `authenticated` level or higher.
- A prior agent accidentally exposed IDAA BB data publicly — treat any IDAA exposure as Sev-1.

### Journals
- Private personal data. Always authenticated. Passcode/encryption features exist.
- Never expose journal content publicly.

### `PUBLIC_AE_API_SECRET_KEY`
- Ongoing Sev-1 audit. Do not introduce new usages.
- Prefer per-request API key headers (`x-aether-api-key` + `x-account-id`).

### Email Display
Non-trusted users must never see a full email address. Obscure using:
```typescript
// joh***@example.com
function obscure_email(email: string): string {
    const at = email.indexOf('@');
    if (at < 0) return email;
    return `${email.slice(0, Math.min(3, at))}***${email.slice(at)}`;
}
```
This pattern lives in `ae_comp__badge_obj_li.svelte` — move to `ae_utils` if needed elsewhere.

---

## Module-Specific Permission Patterns

### Events — Badges

| Scenario | Visibility | Print Action | Review Actions |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Anonymous / below trusted | Unprinted only | None (name display only) | Email Review Link button (→ email API) |
| Trusted, not Edit Mode | Unprinted only | Clickable (first print) | Email Review Link button |
| Trusted, Edit Mode | All non-hidden | Clickable incl. reprint; shows `Nx` count | Email Review Link + direct Review Link (clipboard) |

- Print count badge: shown as `Nx` (e.g. `2×`) next to the printer icon when `print_count >= 1`
- Edit mode for badges: limited to `trusted_access` users (toggle hidden from lower levels)
- `person_passcode` field (for attendee-gated review URL): **not yet in DB** as of 2026-02-27

### IDAA
- Auth gate test must be the **first test** in any test file — privacy enforcement is a hard requirement.
- Default required permission: `trusted_access` or higher for module access.

---

## Common Template Patterns

```svelte
<!-- Gate on trusted access -->
{#if $ae_loc.trusted_access}

<!-- Gate on edit mode (always check trusted too — edit mode alone is insufficient) -->
{#if $ae_loc.trusted_access && $ae_loc.edit_mode}

<!-- Gate on administrator -->
{#if $ae_loc.administrator_access}

<!-- Show full vs obscured email -->
{$ae_loc.trusted_access ? email : obscure_email(email)}
```

> Never gate purely on `$ae_loc.edit_mode` without also checking a permission level. Edit mode is a UI preference, not a permission grant.