[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #37616: Replace `is_super_admin()` calls with real capability checks

[WordPress Trac]

#37616: Replace `is_super_admin()` calls with real capability checks
-----------------------------+------------------------
 Reporter:  flixos90         |       Owner:  flixos90
     Type:  task (blessed)   |      Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal           |   Milestone:  4.7
Component:  Role/Capability  |     Version:
 Severity:  normal           |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                   |     Focuses:  multisite
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Comment (by flixos90):

 I looked through all occurrences of `is_super_admin()` as listed above
 (ignoring those that are inside `map_meta_cap()` as we likely cannot get
 around these until we have dedicated network role management).

 I identified three general types of changes we need to do. The following
 is a list of the `is_super_admin()` occurrences and my suggestions how to
 handle them.

 ----

 '''Get rid of checks:'''
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-admin/edit-form-
 advanced.php#L311 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src
 /wp-admin/includes/class-wp-posts-list-table.php#L1407
     * remove check, other cap should be sufficient
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-admin/menu.php#L31
     * remove check, the data isn't used anywhere under that condition (not
 sure why that check is there)
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 admin/users.php#L324 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src
 /wp-admin/users.php#L380
     * could be handled in `map_meta_cap()` instead (see check below
 respectively)

 '''Use existing capabilities:'''
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-includes/admin-
 bar.php#L287 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 includes/admin-bar.php#L386 and
 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-includes/admin-
 bar.php#L401 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 includes/admin-bar.php#L457 and
 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-includes/link-
 template.php#L3473 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src
 /wp-includes/link-template.php#L3479 and
 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 includes/option.php#L797 and
 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 includes/option.php#L961 and
 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-signup.php#L825
     * use capability `manage_network`
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 admin/options.php#L77 and
 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 admin/options.php#L163
     * use `manage_network_options`
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-admin/includes
 /ajax-actions.php#L249 and
 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-admin/user-
 new.php#L40 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-admin
 /user-new.php#L221 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src
 /wp-admin/user-new.php#L309 and
 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-admin/users.php#L125
     * adjust capability `promote_users`

 '''Introduce new capabilities:'''
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 admin/includes/ms.php#L690
     * introduce capability `import_users`
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 admin/includes/ms.php#L759
     * introduce capability `upgrade_network`
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 admin/network.php#L18
     * introduce capability `setup_multisite` and add it to administrator
 role (it would make sense to change the related menu item to use that
 capability as well)
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-includes/ms-
 functions.php#L579
     * introduce capability `unfiltered_sites`
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-includes/ms-
 load.php#L84
     * introduce capability `see_blocked_sites`
 * https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-admin/options-
 general.php#L344 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 admin/options-general.php#L349 and
 https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/src/wp-
 admin/options.php#L184
     * introduce capability `install_languages`

 ----

 A note on the above: There are several capabilities that are available to
 admins on a regular setup, but only to a super admin on multisite:
 * out of the above capabilities, we would need to change `promote_users`
 to become such a capability (add `do_not_allow` via `map_meta_cap()` if on
 multisite and user is not a super admin)
 * out of the above capabilities, the new capabilities `install_languages`
 and maybe `import_users` would need to be added to the administrator role,
 but then be handled in `map_meta_cap()` as well (`do_not_allow` if on
 multisite and user is not a super admin)
 * the other new capabilities only apply to super admins so they wouldn't
 need to be added to any role for now

 About the next steps: The above occurrences add up to 12 groups in total
 (some of these occurrences are certainly directly related, therefore less
 groups then occurrences). I think we should start opening 12 individual
 tickets for these for further discussion after we have some initial
 feedback (in this ticket).

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/37616#comment:7>
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