Currently, Pubkey Encrypt logs out all active users upon module installation. Here are the reasons for this design decision:

  1. Whenever a user logs in, his credentials are used for retrieving the user's Private key which is then temporarily stored for later accesses. So a login is required for temporary storage of a user's Private key to take place. Without a user's Private key temporarily stored, he won't be able to access any data encrypted through our mechanism. So we need all active users on the website to log out and log in again upon module installation.
  2. Pubkey Encrypt is a security related module, and hence this compromise against usability seems ok.
  3. ownCloud's Data Encryption Model, upon whom this module is based, asks users to manually sign out and sign in again and does not start the encryption process unless or until all the relevant users have done it. But this module aims to get the encryption process ready as soon as the module is installed.

It is technically feasible to eliminate this behavior from the module. But that way conflicts with the current workflow of the module. Though it could be employed later if any serious implications of logging out all active users upon module installation are found. This issue should be used for documenting such implications or for discussing anything related to this design decision.

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