Improve Encryption UX using Lit Protocol

[MantisClone]

Problem

1. Users must manually manage keys to create and retrieve encrypted requests.
2. We want to provide a good UX (low number of clicks). We DON'T want users to click to decrypt each request.

Definition of Done

• Encryption: Develop a PoC using Lit Protocol requestNetwork#1467
  • Lit Protocol is a decentralized network for provisioning encryption keys.
  • It should support sessions so users don't need to click to decrypt every request.
• Encryption: Add Lit Protocol to the SDK requestNetwork#1468
• Encryption: Add Lit Protocol to the Invoicing Template web-components#146
• Encryption: Add ability to decrypt requests using Lit Protocol to Request Scan request-scan#66
• Encryption: Add AddStakeholder to Request Scan: facilitate exchange of data between builders on the protocol request-scan#11
• Encryption: Add Lit Protocol to Request Payment Widget and Request Checkout Playground web-components#147
• Encryption: Add Lit Protocol to the Documentation docs.request.network#63

Rejected Solutions

• NOT using EIP-1024 because it's deprecated
• Develop a PoC using Threshold Network Access Control ("TACo"), a decentralized network for provisioning encryption keys, direct competitor of Lit Protocol
• Use eth-crypto encryptWithPublicKey() to encrypt/decrypt the channel key. Store the public/private key in the browser's local storage in an encrypted format using ethers.wallet.encrypt(). The user needs to store a separate mnemonic. The user types in a password to unlock the wallet and can then use it for encrypting and decrypting. dApp looks for the encryption wallet in local storage.
• Develop an EIP-5630 Metamask Snap
  • EIP-5630: New approach for encryption/decryption
  • Metamask Snap: a programmability layer inside the wallet so the private key still remains secure.
  • Maybe batch decrypt so users don't need to click to decrypt each request
  • Maybe a session so users can pre-approve all decryptions for a certain time period

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Migrated from Asana:

• https://app.asana.com/0/1203912381456855/1205287813635871/f

[MantisClone]

Context: We hosted a 3-hour mini hackathon attended by the Request Network dev team. We needed to quickly choose a technology to hack with based on incomplete knowledge about trust assumptions and only a cursory glance through the docs.

Options:

• Lit Protocol
• Threshold Network

Conclusion:

• Lit Protocol for Mini Hackathon
• Reconsider Threshold Network in the future

Considerations:

• Both Lit Protocol and Threshold Network TACO seem very "green", unproven.
• In Threshold Network, a ritualId and corresponding ritual public key are required to encrypt data.
• Threshold Network TACO Mainnet is in beta and ritualIds are issued by allowlist only
  
• TACO Node might not be supported anymore?
  
• Lit Protocol seems to have wider industry adoption right now.

[MantisClone]

We did a mini hackathon at our 2024.05 Offsite in a private repo: https://github.com/RequestNetwork/encrypt-requests-with-wallet-prototype