[ticket/10282] Unsubscribe from emails without logging in by marc1706 · Pull Request #7117 · phpbb/phpbb

marc1706 · 2026-11-07T21:08:23Z

Checklist:

Correct branch: master for new features; 3.3.x for fixes
Tests pass
Code follows coding guidelines: master and 3.3.x
Commit follows commit message format

Tracker ticket:

https://tracker.phpbb.com/browse/PHPBB-10282

…types PHPBB-10282

PHPBB-10282

… packs PHPBB-10282

PHPBB-10282

…lper PHPBB-10282

PHPBB-10282

…d sends Otherwise headers such as List-Unsubscribe carry over to the next message. PHPBB-10282

Avoids defining the path a second time in the email notification method. PHPBB-10282

…f days Links stay valid for 365 days by default, admins can change this in the email settings. Setting it to 0 keeps links valid until the email address changes. PHPBB-10282

One-click requests for emails caused by watching a topic or forum only stop watching that item, like the stop watching link does, instead of turning off the whole notification type. PHPBB-10282

…mail PHPBB-10282

Falls back to the type ID if its language string is not loaded. PHPBB-10282

…lates These templates are only sent as notifications, which always set U_UNSUBSCRIBE. Only admin_activate is also sent directly and keeps the condition. The test for hidden unsubscribe text only tested the condition itself, so it is removed as well. PHPBB-10282

MSSQL requires an explicit value for the identity column of phpbb_user_notifications. PHPBB-10282

The email notification method now depends on the router. PHPBB-10282

Update emails can announce security fixes, so a one-click button in a mail client must not turn them off. Their emails link to the notification settings instead and signed links for them are rejected. PHPBB-10282

…hing Mail clients may repeat one-click requests. Types that already send no emails are left alone, so repeated requests do not add log entries. PHPBB-10282

The user ID from the request is already an integer and matches the signed user row, so it is used directly instead of the user row. PHPBB-10282

Copilot

🟡 Changes recommended

Approval is blocked by unresolved critical unsubscribe idempotency/concurrency and HTTPS one-click security issues, plus acceptance of stale links for removed notification types.

3 open issues

What changed in this PR

Adds passwordless, signed email-unsubscribe support for notification recipients, including scoped unsubscribe actions, RFC 8058 one-click handling, configurable link expiry, templates, migrations, and automated coverage.

Changes:

Adds HMAC-signed unsubscribe URLs bound to the recipient’s current email address.
Adds an unauthenticated controller for item, notification-type, and all-email unsubscribe actions.
Updates notification templates, messenger headers, routing, configuration, language strings, and tests.

Open issues:

Make notification-type disabling idempotent and safe under repeated or concurrent requests.
Reject unsubscribe links for notification types that no longer exist.
Only emit RFC 8058 one-click headers when the endpoint uses HTTPS.

This pull request requires changes.

File	Description
`tests/notification/submit_post_base.php`	Provides a router mock for notification tests.
`tests/notification/notification_method_webpush_test.php`	Provides router test infrastructure.
`tests/notification/notification_method_email_test.php`	Updates email notification construction for routing support.
`tests/notification/fixtures/unsubscribe.xml`	Adds database fixtures for unsubscribe scenarios.
`tests/notification/fixtures/services_notification.yml`	Adds test parameters and synthetic services.
`tests/notification/email_unsubscribe_link_test.php`	Tests signed-link generation, expiry, tampering, and email variables.
`tests/notification/controller_email_unsubscribe_test.php`	Tests controller scopes, validation, logging, and preference changes.
`tests/notification/base.php`	Provides router setup for notification tests.
`tests/messenger/method_email_test.php`	Verifies unsubscribe-header cleanup between messages.
`tests/functional/email_unsubscribe_test.php`	Covers end-to-end unsubscribe behavior.
`tests/email/fixtures/legacy_unsubscribe.txt`	Adds a legacy unsubscribe-header fixture.
`tests/email/email_parsing_test.php`	Tests unsubscribe headers and updated email templates.
`phpBB/styles/prosilver/template/notification_email_unsubscribe.html`	Adds the unsubscribe selection page template.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/type/update_maintenance.php`	Prevents one-click unsubscribe for update notifications.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/type/type_interface.php`	Defines unsubscribe capability and watched-item contracts.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/type/topic.php`	Identifies forum watch items for topic notifications.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/type/post.php`	Identifies topic watch items for post notifications.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/type/forum.php`	Identifies forum watch items for forum notifications.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/type/base.php`	Supplies default unsubscribe behavior for notification types.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/method/messenger_base.php`	Centralizes notification email template variables.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/method/email.php`	Generates signed unsubscribe URLs and adds them to notification messages.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/manager.php`	Resolves shared preferences and manages email subscriptions.
`phpBB/phpbb/notification/controller/email_unsubscribe.php`	Handles signed unsubscribe pages and one-click requests.
`phpBB/phpbb/messenger/method/messenger_interface.php`	Adds the unsubscribe-header API.
`phpBB/phpbb/messenger/method/email.php`	Emits RFC 8058 headers and resets message state.
`phpBB/phpbb/messenger/method/base.php`	Adds a no-op unsubscribe-header implementation.
`phpBB/phpbb/install/module/install_database/task/add_config_settings.php`	Generates the unsubscribe signing secret during installation.
`phpBB/phpbb/db/migration/data/v400/email_unsubscribe.php`	Adds unsubscribe configuration during migration.
`phpBB/language/en/ucp.php`	Adds unsubscribe page and status language strings.
`phpBB/language/en/email/update_security.txt`	Adds notification-settings guidance to security update emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/update_maintenance.txt`	Adds notification-settings guidance to maintenance emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/update_critical.txt`	Adds notification-settings guidance to critical update emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/topic_notify.txt`	Removes the legacy unsubscribe header.
`phpBB/language/en/email/topic_in_queue.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to queued-topic emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/topic_disapproved.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to disapproved-topic emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/topic_approved.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to approved-topic emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/report_post.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to post-report emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/report_pm.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to private-message report emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/report_pm_closed.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to closed PM-report emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/report_deleted.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to deleted-report emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/report_closed.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to closed-report emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/quote.txt`	Replaces the settings link with an unsubscribe link.
`phpBB/language/en/email/privmsg_notify.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to private-message notifications.
`phpBB/language/en/email/post_in_queue.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to queued-post emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/post_disapproved.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to disapproved-post emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/post_approved.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to approved-post emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/pm_report_deleted.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to deleted PM-report emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/pm_report_closed.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to closed PM-report emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/newtopic_notify.txt`	Removes the legacy unsubscribe header.
`phpBB/language/en/email/mention.txt`	Replaces the settings link with an unsubscribe link.
`phpBB/language/en/email/group_request.txt`	Adds an unsubscribe link to group-request emails.
`phpBB/language/en/email/forum_notify.txt`	Removes the legacy unsubscribe header.
`phpBB/language/en/email/bookmark.txt`	Replaces the settings link with an unsubscribe link.
`phpBB/language/en/email/admin_activate.txt`	Adds a conditional unsubscribe link.
`phpBB/language/en/acp/common.php`	Adds unsubscribe audit-log messages.
`phpBB/language/en/acp/board.php`	Adds the unsubscribe-link lifetime setting.
`phpBB/install/schemas/schema_data.sql`	Adds default unsubscribe configuration values.
`phpBB/includes/acp/acp_board.php`	Exposes unsubscribe-link expiry in board settings.
`phpBB/config/default/routing/notifications.yml`	Registers the unsubscribe route.
`phpBB/config/default/container/services_notification.yml`	Registers controller dependencies and router injection.

_{Review effort: Lite}

+	protected function unsubscribe_type(int $user_id, string $option_id): void
+	{
+		$this->manager->delete_subscription($option_id, 0, $this->email_method->get_type(), $user_id);
+	}


+			return $vars;
+		}
+
+		$messenger_method->set_list_unsubscribe($unsubscribe_url);


+		if ($type_option !== null && !$type_option['type']->allows_email_unsubscribe())
+		{


marc1706 added 15 commits November 7, 2026 08:38

[ticket/10282] Remove unused get_unsubscribe_url() from notification …

8bef3ad

…types PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Add List-Unsubscribe header support to messenger

aae1d9e

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Add secret for signing email unsubscribe links

e26b3ec

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Add signed unsubscribe links for notification emails

dd01e10

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Add page to unsubscribe from emails without login

5b9e63f

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Use unsubscribe links in notification emails

1919188

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Use readable names for unsubscribe link parameters

2a7f382

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Simplify unsubscribe link check and log strings

205876d

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Remove List-Unsubscribe fallback for outdated language…

3bb59f4

… packs PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Only set List-Unsubscribe headers in email messenger

5c994ae

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Align unsubscribe controller with coding style

3e002c2

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Build subscription types with get_subscription_option()

5d85e51

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Use sql_build_array() for unsubscribe queries

c39d880

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Simplify replacing stop watching links

942a029

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Correct reason for building unsubscribe URL without he…

58313fd

…lper PHPBB-10282

marc1706 added WIP 🚧 4.0 (Triton) 🔮 labels Nov 7, 2026

marc1706 added 8 commits November 8, 2026 08:04

[ticket/10282] Add missing column default

63d894c

PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Reset email messenger after failed or extension-handle…

c7c0e6a

…d sends Otherwise headers such as List-Unsubscribe carry over to the next message. PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Get unsubscribe route path from router

1fa86b9

Avoids defining the path a second time in the email notification method. PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Expire unsubscribe links after a configurable number o…

98efabc

…f days Links stay valid for 365 days by default, admins can change this in the email settings. Setting it to 0 keeps links valid until the email address changes. PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Only stop watching the item on one-click unsubscribe

298bbde

One-click requests for emails caused by watching a topic or forum only stop watching that item, like the stop watching link does, instead of turning off the whole notification type. PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Merge duplicate unsubscribe hints in private message e…

760edde

…mail PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Log readable notification type name on unsubscribe

1ebd978

Falls back to the type ID if its language string is not loaded. PHPBB-10282

marc1706 force-pushed the ticket/10282 branch from c5d7a27 to 77c94c3 Compare November 8, 2026 08:35

marc1706 added 4 commits November 8, 2026 09:53

[ticket/10282] Add id column to unsubscribe test fixture

9b37a9c

MSSQL requires an explicit value for the identity column of phpbb_user_notifications. PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Provide router in webpush notification test container

06b55c9

The email notification method now depends on the router. PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Exclude update emails from unsubscribe links

22edf79

Update emails can announce security fixes, so a one-click button in a mail client must not turn them off. Their emails link to the notification settings instead and signed links for them are rejected. PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Only log one-click type unsubscribes that change somet…

47666e2

…hing Mail clients may repeat one-click requests. Types that already send no emails are left alone, so repeated requests do not add log entries. PHPBB-10282

[ticket/10282] Remove unneeded casts from unsubscribe controller

d3386a6

The user ID from the request is already an integer and matches the signed user row, so it is used directly instead of the user row. PHPBB-10282

marc1706 requested a lite review from Copilot November 9, 2026 20:00

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of marc1706 November 9, 2026 20:02

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Copilot AI reviewed Nov 9, 2026

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[ticket/10282] Unsubscribe from emails without logging in - #7117

[ticket/10282] Unsubscribe from emails without logging in#7117
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marc1706 commented Nov 7, 2026 •

edited

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		if ($type_option !== null && !$type_option['type']->allows_email_unsubscribe())
		{

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marc1706 commented Nov 7, 2026 •

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