Merge branch 'main' into feature/335_csv_import_ui

lib/mv/accounts/user/validations/email_not_used_by_other_member.ex

@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ defmodule Mv.Accounts.User.Validations.EmailNotUsedByOtherMember do
   """
   use Ash.Resource.Validation
 
+  require Logger
+
   @doc """
   Validates email uniqueness across linked User-Member pairs.
 
@@ -73,19 +75,29 @@ defmodule Mv.Accounts.User.Validations.EmailNotUsedByOtherMember do
   end
 
   defp check_email_uniqueness(email, exclude_member_id) do
+    alias Mv.Helpers
+    alias Mv.Helpers.SystemActor
+
     query =
       Mv.Membership.Member
       |> Ash.Query.filter(email == ^to_string(email))
       |> maybe_exclude_id(exclude_member_id)
 
-    case Ash.read(query) do
+    system_actor = SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(system_actor)
+
+    case Ash.read(query, opts) do
       {:ok, []} ->
         :ok
 
       {:ok, _} ->
         {:error, field: :email, message: "is already used by another member", value: email}
 
-      {:error, _} ->
+      {:error, reason} ->
+        Logger.warning(
+          "Email uniqueness validation query failed for user email '#{email}': #{inspect(reason)}. Allowing operation to proceed (fail-open)."
+        )
+
         :ok
     end
   end

lib/mv/application.ex

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ defmodule Mv.Application do
       {DNSCluster, query: Application.get_env(:mv, :dns_cluster_query) || :ignore},
       {Phoenix.PubSub, name: Mv.PubSub},
       {AshAuthentication.Supervisor, otp_app: :my},
+      Mv.Helpers.SystemActor,
       # Start a worker by calling: Mv.Worker.start_link(arg)
       # {Mv.Worker, arg},
       # Start to serve requests, typically the last entry

lib/mv/authorization/actor.ex

@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+defmodule Mv.Authorization.Actor do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Helper functions for ensuring User actors have required data loaded.
+
+  ## Actor Invariant
+
+  Authorization policies (especially HasPermission) require that the User actor
+  has their `:role` relationship loaded. This module provides helpers to
+  ensure this invariant is maintained across all entry points:
+
+  - LiveView on_mount hooks
+  - Plug pipelines
+  - Background jobs
+  - Tests
+
+  ## Scope
+
+  This module ONLY handles `Mv.Accounts.User` resources. Other resources with
+  a `:role` field are ignored (returned as-is). This prevents accidental
+  authorization bypasses and keeps the logic focused.
+
+  ## Usage
+
+      # In LiveView on_mount
+      def ensure_user_role_loaded(_name, socket) do
+        user = Actor.ensure_loaded(socket.assigns[:current_user])
+        assign(socket, :current_user, user)
+      end
+
+      # In tests
+      user = Actor.ensure_loaded(user)
+
+  ## Security Note
+
+  `ensure_loaded/1` loads the role with `authorize?: false` to avoid circular
+  dependency (actor needs role loaded to be authorized, but loading role requires
+  authorization). This is safe because:
+
+  - The actor (User) is loading their OWN role (user.role relationship)
+  - This load is needed FOR authorization checks to work
+  - The role itself contains no sensitive data (just permission_set reference)
+  - The actor is already authenticated (passed auth boundary)
+
+  Alternative would be to denormalize permission_set_name on User, but that
+  adds complexity and potential for inconsistency.
+  """
+
+  require Logger
+
+  @doc """
+  Ensures the actor (User) has their `:role` relationship loaded.
+
+  - If actor is nil, returns nil
+  - If role is already loaded, returns actor as-is
+  - If role is %Ash.NotLoaded{}, loads it and returns updated actor
+  - If actor is not a User, returns as-is (no-op)
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> Actor.ensure_loaded(nil)
+      nil
+
+      iex> Actor.ensure_loaded(%User{role: %Role{}})
+      %User{role: %Role{}}
+
+      iex> Actor.ensure_loaded(%User{role: %Ash.NotLoaded{}})
+      %User{role: %Role{}}  # role loaded
+  """
+  def ensure_loaded(nil), do: nil
+
+  # Only handle Mv.Accounts.User - clear intention, no accidental other resources
+  def ensure_loaded(%Mv.Accounts.User{role: %Ash.NotLoaded{}} = user) do
+    load_role(user)
+  end
+
+  def ensure_loaded(actor), do: actor
+
+  defp load_role(actor) do
+    # SECURITY: We skip authorization here because this is a bootstrap scenario:
+    # - The actor is loading their OWN role (actor.role relationship)
+    # - This load is needed FOR authorization checks to work (circular dependency)
+    # - The role itself contains no sensitive data (just permission_set reference)
+    # - The actor is already authenticated (passed auth boundary)
+    # Alternative would be to denormalize permission_set_name on User.
+    case Ash.load(actor, :role, domain: Mv.Accounts, authorize?: false) do
+      {:ok, loaded_actor} ->
+        loaded_actor
+
+      {:error, error} ->
+        # Log error but don't crash - fail-closed for authorization
+        Logger.warning(
+          "Failed to load actor role: #{inspect(error)}. " <>
+            "Authorization may fail if role is required."
+        )
+
+        actor
+    end
+  end
+end

lib/mv/authorization/authorization.ex

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization do
 
   ## Public API
   The domain exposes these main actions:
-  - Role CRUD: `create_role/1`, `list_roles/0`, `update_role/2`, `destroy_role/1`
+  - Role CRUD: `create_role/1`, `list_roles/0`, `get_role/1`, `update_role/2`, `destroy_role/1`
 
   ## Admin Interface
   The domain is configured with AshAdmin for management UI.

lib/mv/authorization/checks/has_permission.ex

@@ -8,10 +8,37 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Checks.HasPermission do
   3. Finds matching permission for current resource + action
   4. Applies scope filter (:own, :linked, :all)
 
+  ## Important: strict_check Behavior
+
+  For filter-based scopes (`:own`, `:linked`):
+  - **WITH record**: Evaluates filter against record (returns `true`/`false`)
+  - **WITHOUT record** (queries/lists): Returns `false`
+
+  **Why `false` instead of `:unknown`?**
+
+  Ash's policy evaluation doesn't reliably call `auto_filter` when `strict_check`
+  returns `:unknown`. To ensure list queries work correctly, resources **MUST** use
+  bypass policies with `expr()` for READ operations (see `docs/policy-bypass-vs-haspermission.md`).
+
+  This means `HasPermission` is **NOT** generically reusable for query authorization
+  with filter scopes - it requires companion bypass policies.
+
+  ## Usage Pattern
+
+  See `docs/policy-bypass-vs-haspermission.md` for the two-tier pattern:
+  - **READ**: `bypass` with `expr()` (handles auto_filter)
+  - **UPDATE/CREATE/DESTROY**: `HasPermission` (handles scope evaluation)
+
   ## Usage in Ash Resource
 
       policies do
-        policy action_type(:read) do
+        # READ: Bypass for list queries
+        bypass action_type(:read) do
+          authorize_if expr(id == ^actor(:id))
+        end
+
+        # UPDATE: HasPermission for scope evaluation
+        policy action_type([:update, :create, :destroy]) do
           authorize_if Mv.Authorization.Checks.HasPermission
         end
       end
@@ -34,6 +61,12 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Checks.HasPermission do
 
   All errors result in Forbidden (policy fails).
 
+  ## Role Loading Fallback
+
+  If the actor's `:role` relationship is `%Ash.NotLoaded{}`, this check will
+  attempt to load it automatically. This provides a fallback if `on_mount` hooks
+  didn't run (e.g., in non-LiveView contexts).
+
   ## Examples
 
       # In a resource policy
@@ -83,6 +116,9 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Checks.HasPermission do
 
   # Helper function to reduce nesting depth
   defp strict_check_with_permissions(actor, resource, action, record) do
+    # Ensure role is loaded (fallback if on_mount didn't run)
+    actor = ensure_role_loaded(actor)
+
     with %{role: %{permission_set_name: ps_name}} when not is_nil(ps_name) <- actor,
          {:ok, ps_atom} <- PermissionSets.permission_set_name_to_atom(ps_name),
          permissions <- PermissionSets.get_permissions(ps_atom),
@@ -95,11 +131,25 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Checks.HasPermission do
              resource_name
            ) do
         :authorized ->
+          # For :all scope, authorize directly
           {:ok, true}
 
         {:filter, filter_expr} ->
-          # For strict_check on single records, evaluate the filter against the record
-          evaluate_filter_for_strict_check(filter_expr, actor, record, resource_name)
+          # For :own/:linked scope:
+          # - With a record, evaluate filter against record for strict authorization
+          # - Without a record (queries/lists), return false
+          #
+          # NOTE: Returning false here forces the use of expr-based bypass policies.
+          # This is necessary because Ash's policy evaluation doesn't reliably call auto_filter
+          # when strict_check returns :unknown. Instead, resources should use bypass policies
+          # with expr() directly for filter-based authorization (see User resource).
+          if record do
+            evaluate_filter_for_strict_check(filter_expr, actor, record, resource_name)
+          else
+            # No record yet (e.g., read/list queries) - deny at strict_check level
+            # Resources must use expr-based bypass policies for list filtering
+            {:ok, false}
+          end
 
         false ->
           {:ok, false}
@@ -224,9 +274,18 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Checks.HasPermission do
   end
 
   # Evaluate filter expression for strict_check on single records
+  # For :own scope with User resource: id == actor.id
   # For :linked scope with Member resource: id == actor.member_id
   defp evaluate_filter_for_strict_check(_filter_expr, actor, record, resource_name) do
     case {resource_name, record} do
+      {"User", %{id: user_id}} when not is_nil(user_id) ->
+        # Check if this user's ID matches the actor's ID (scope :own)
+        if user_id == actor.id do
+          {:ok, true}
+        else
+          {:ok, false}
+        end
+
       {"Member", %{id: member_id}} when not is_nil(member_id) ->
         # Check if this member's ID matches the actor's member_id
         if member_id == actor.member_id do
@@ -330,4 +389,10 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Checks.HasPermission do
   defp get_resource_name_for_logging(_resource) do
     "unknown"
   end
+
+  # Fallback: Load role if not loaded (in case on_mount didn't run)
+  # Delegates to centralized Actor helper
+  defp ensure_role_loaded(actor) do
+    Mv.Authorization.Actor.ensure_loaded(actor)
+  end
 end

lib/mv/authorization/checks/no_actor.ex

@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Checks.NoActor do
   use Ash.Policy.SimpleCheck
 
   # Compile-time check: Only allow no-actor bypass in test environment
-  @allow_no_actor_bypass Mix.env() == :test
-  # Alternative (if you want to control via config):
-  # @allow_no_actor_bypass Application.compile_env(:mv, :allow_no_actor_bypass, false)
+  # SECURITY: This must ONLY be true in test.exs, never in prod/dev
+  # Using compile_env instead of Mix.env() for release-safety
+  @allow_no_actor_bypass Application.compile_env(:mv, :allow_no_actor_bypass, false)
 
   @impl true
   def describe(_opts) do
@@ -58,13 +58,9 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Checks.NoActor do
   @impl true
   def match?(nil, _context, _opts) do
     # Actor is nil
-    if @allow_no_actor_bypass do
-      # Test environment: Allow all operations
-      true
-    else
-      # Production/dev: Deny all operations (fail-closed for security)
-      false
-    end
+    # SECURITY: Only allow if compile_env flag is set (test.exs only)
+    # No runtime Mix.env() check - fail-closed by default (false)
+    @allow_no_actor_bypass
   end
 
   def match?(_actor, _context, _opts) do

lib/mv/authorization/permission_sets.ex

@@ -95,7 +95,9 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.PermissionSets do
   def get_permissions(:own_data) do
     %{
       resources: [
-        # User: Can always read/update own credentials
+        # User: Can read/update own credentials only
+        # IMPORTANT: "read_only" refers to member data, NOT user credentials.
+        # All permission sets grant User.update :own to allow password changes.
         %{resource: "User", action: :read, scope: :own, granted: true},
         %{resource: "User", action: :update, scope: :own, granted: true},
 
@@ -125,6 +127,8 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.PermissionSets do
     %{
       resources: [
         # User: Can read/update own credentials only
+        # IMPORTANT: "read_only" refers to member data, NOT user credentials.
+        # All permission sets grant User.update :own to allow password changes.
         %{resource: "User", action: :read, scope: :own, granted: true},
         %{resource: "User", action: :update, scope: :own, granted: true},
 
@@ -157,6 +161,8 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.PermissionSets do
     %{
       resources: [
         # User: Can read/update own credentials only
+        # IMPORTANT: "read_only" refers to member data, NOT user credentials.
+        # All permission sets grant User.update :own to allow password changes.
         %{resource: "User", action: :read, scope: :own, granted: true},
         %{resource: "User", action: :update, scope: :own, granted: true},
 

lib/mv/email_sync/changes/sync_member_email_to_user.ex

@@ -41,10 +41,8 @@ defmodule Mv.EmailSync.Changes.SyncMemberEmailToUser do
     Ash.Changeset.around_transaction(changeset, fn cs, callback ->
       result = callback.(cs)
 
-      actor = Map.get(changeset.context, :actor)
-
       with {:ok, member} <- Helpers.extract_record(result),
-           linked_user <- Loader.get_linked_user(member, actor) do
+           linked_user <- Loader.get_linked_user(member) do
         Helpers.sync_email_to_linked_record(result, linked_user, new_email)
       else
         _ -> result

lib/mv/email_sync/changes/sync_user_email_to_member.ex

@@ -33,17 +33,7 @@ defmodule Mv.EmailSync.Changes.SyncUserEmailToMember do
     if Map.get(context, :syncing_email, false) do
       changeset
     else
-      # Ensure actor is in changeset context - get it from context if available
-      actor = Map.get(changeset.context, :actor) || Map.get(context, :actor)
-
-      changeset_with_actor =
-        if actor && !Map.has_key?(changeset.context, :actor) do
-          Ash.Changeset.put_context(changeset, :actor, actor)
-        else
-          changeset
-        end
-
-      sync_email(changeset_with_actor)
+      sync_email(changeset)
     end
   end
 
@@ -52,7 +42,7 @@ defmodule Mv.EmailSync.Changes.SyncUserEmailToMember do
       result = callback.(cs)
 
       with {:ok, record} <- Helpers.extract_record(result),
-           {:ok, user, member} <- get_user_and_member(record, cs) do
+           {:ok, user, member} <- get_user_and_member(record) do
         # When called from Member-side, we need to update the member in the result
         # When called from User-side, we update the linked member in DB only
         case record do
@@ -71,19 +61,16 @@ defmodule Mv.EmailSync.Changes.SyncUserEmailToMember do
   end
 
   # Retrieves user and member - works for both resource types
-  defp get_user_and_member(%Mv.Accounts.User{} = user, changeset) do
-    actor = Map.get(changeset.context, :actor)
-
-    case Loader.get_linked_member(user, actor) do
+  # Uses system actor via Loader functions
+  defp get_user_and_member(%Mv.Accounts.User{} = user) do
+    case Loader.get_linked_member(user) do
       nil -> {:error, :no_member}
       member -> {:ok, user, member}
     end
   end
 
-  defp get_user_and_member(%Mv.Membership.Member{} = member, changeset) do
-    actor = Map.get(changeset.context, :actor)
-
-    case Loader.load_linked_user!(member, actor) do
+  defp get_user_and_member(%Mv.Membership.Member{} = member) do
+    case Loader.load_linked_user!(member) do
       {:ok, user} -> {:ok, user, member}
       error -> error
     end

lib/mv/email_sync/loader.ex

@@ -5,25 +5,26 @@ defmodule Mv.EmailSync.Loader do
 
   ## Authorization
 
-  This module runs systemically and accepts optional actor parameters.
-  When called from hooks/changes, actor is extracted from changeset context.
-  When called directly, actor should be provided for proper authorization.
+  This module runs systemically and uses the system actor for all operations.
+  This ensures that email synchronization always works, regardless of user permissions.
 
-  All functions accept an optional `actor` parameter that is passed to Ash operations
-  to ensure proper authorization checks are performed.
+  All functions use `Mv.Helpers.SystemActor.get_system_actor/0` to bypass
+  user permission checks, as email sync is a mandatory side effect.
   """
   alias Mv.Helpers
+  alias Mv.Helpers.SystemActor
 
   @doc """
   Loads the member linked to a user, returns nil if not linked or on error.
 
-  Accepts optional actor for authorization.
+  Uses system actor for authorization to ensure email sync always works.
   """
-  def get_linked_member(user, actor \\ nil)
-  def get_linked_member(%{member_id: nil}, _actor), do: nil
+  def get_linked_member(user)
+  def get_linked_member(%{member_id: nil}), do: nil
 
-  def get_linked_member(%{member_id: id}, actor) do
-    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(actor)
+  def get_linked_member(%{member_id: id}) do
+    system_actor = SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(system_actor)
 
     case Ash.get(Mv.Membership.Member, id, opts) do
       {:ok, member} -> member
@@ -34,10 +35,11 @@ defmodule Mv.EmailSync.Loader do
   @doc """
   Loads the user linked to a member, returns nil if not linked or on error.
 
-  Accepts optional actor for authorization.
+  Uses system actor for authorization to ensure email sync always works.
   """
-  def get_linked_user(member, actor \\ nil) do
-    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(actor)
+  def get_linked_user(member) do
+    system_actor = SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(system_actor)
 
     case Ash.load(member, :user, opts) do
       {:ok, %{user: user}} -> user
@@ -49,10 +51,11 @@ defmodule Mv.EmailSync.Loader do
   Loads the user linked to a member, returning an error tuple if not linked.
   Useful when a link is required for the operation.
 
-  Accepts optional actor for authorization.
+  Uses system actor for authorization to ensure email sync always works.
   """
-  def load_linked_user!(member, actor \\ nil) do
-    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(actor)
+  def load_linked_user!(member) do
+    system_actor = SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(system_actor)
 
     case Ash.load(member, :user, opts) do
       {:ok, %{user: user}} when not is_nil(user) -> {:ok, user}

lib/mv/helpers/system_actor.ex

@@ -0,0 +1,436 @@
+defmodule Mv.Helpers.SystemActor do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Provides access to the system actor for systemic operations.
+
+  The system actor is a user with admin permissions that is used
+  for operations that must always run regardless of user permissions:
+  - Email synchronization
+  - Email uniqueness validation
+  - Cycle generation (if mandatory)
+  - Background jobs
+  - Seeds
+
+  ## Usage
+
+      # Get system actor for systemic operations
+      system_actor = Mv.Helpers.SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+      Ash.read(query, actor: system_actor)
+
+  ## Implementation
+
+  The system actor is cached in an Agent for performance. On first access,
+  it attempts to load a user with email "system@mila.local" and admin role.
+  If that user doesn't exist, it falls back to the admin user from seeds
+  (identified by ADMIN_EMAIL environment variable or "admin@localhost").
+
+  ## Caching
+
+  The system actor is cached in an Agent to avoid repeated database queries.
+  The cache is invalidated on application restart. For long-running applications,
+  consider implementing cache invalidation on role changes.
+
+  ## Race Conditions
+
+  The system actor creation uses `upsert?: true` with `upsert_identity: :unique_email`
+  to prevent race conditions when multiple processes try to create the system user
+  simultaneously. This ensures idempotent creation and prevents database constraint errors.
+
+  ## Security
+
+  The system actor should NEVER be used for user-initiated actions. It is
+  only for systemic operations that must bypass user permissions.
+
+  The system user is created without a password (`hashed_password = nil`) and
+  without an OIDC ID (`oidc_id = nil`) to prevent login. This ensures the
+  system user cannot be used for authentication, even if credentials are
+  somehow obtained.
+  """
+
+  use Agent
+
+  require Ash.Query
+
+  alias Mv.Config
+
+  @doc """
+  Starts the SystemActor Agent.
+
+  This is called automatically by the application supervisor.
+  The agent starts with nil state and loads the system actor lazily on first access.
+  """
+  def start_link(_opts) do
+    # Start with nil - lazy initialization on first get_system_actor call
+    # This prevents database access during application startup (important for tests)
+    Agent.start_link(fn -> nil end, name: __MODULE__)
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns the system actor (user with admin role).
+
+  The system actor is cached in an Agent for performance. On first access,
+  it loads the system user from the database or falls back to the admin user.
+
+  ## Returns
+
+  - `%Mv.Accounts.User{}` - User with admin role loaded
+  - Raises if system actor cannot be found or loaded
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> system_actor = Mv.Helpers.SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+      iex> system_actor.role.permission_set_name
+      "admin"
+
+  """
+  @spec get_system_actor() :: Mv.Accounts.User.t()
+  def get_system_actor do
+    case get_system_actor_result() do
+      {:ok, actor} -> actor
+      {:error, reason} -> raise "Failed to load system actor: #{inspect(reason)}"
+    end
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns the system actor as a result tuple.
+
+  This variant returns `{:ok, actor}` or `{:error, reason}` instead of raising,
+  which is useful for error handling in pipes or when you want to handle errors explicitly.
+
+  ## Returns
+
+  - `{:ok, %Mv.Accounts.User{}}` - Successfully loaded system actor
+  - `{:error, term()}` - Error loading system actor
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      case SystemActor.get_system_actor_result() do
+        {:ok, actor} -> use_actor(actor)
+        {:error, reason} -> handle_error(reason)
+      end
+
+  """
+  @spec get_system_actor_result() :: {:ok, Mv.Accounts.User.t()} | {:error, term()}
+  def get_system_actor_result do
+    # In test environment (SQL sandbox), always load directly to avoid Agent/Sandbox issues
+    if Config.sql_sandbox?() do
+      try do
+        {:ok, load_system_actor()}
+      rescue
+        e -> {:error, e}
+      end
+    else
+      try do
+        result =
+          Agent.get_and_update(__MODULE__, fn
+            nil ->
+              # Cache miss - load system actor
+              try do
+                actor = load_system_actor()
+                {actor, actor}
+              rescue
+                e -> {{:error, e}, nil}
+              end
+
+            cached_actor ->
+              # Cache hit - return cached actor
+              {cached_actor, cached_actor}
+          end)
+
+        case result do
+          {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
+          actor -> {:ok, actor}
+        end
+      catch
+        :exit, {:noproc, _} ->
+          # Agent not started - load directly without caching
+          try do
+            {:ok, load_system_actor()}
+          rescue
+            e -> {:error, e}
+          end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Invalidates the system actor cache.
+
+  This forces a reload of the system actor on the next call to `get_system_actor/0`.
+  Useful when the system user's role might have changed.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> Mv.Helpers.SystemActor.invalidate_cache()
+      :ok
+
+  """
+  @spec invalidate_cache() :: :ok
+  def invalidate_cache do
+    case Process.whereis(__MODULE__) do
+      nil -> :ok
+      _pid -> Agent.update(__MODULE__, fn _state -> nil end)
+    end
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns the email address of the system user.
+
+  This is useful for other modules that need to reference the system user
+  without loading the full user record.
+
+  ## Returns
+
+  - `String.t()` - The system user email address ("system@mila.local")
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> Mv.Helpers.SystemActor.system_user_email()
+      "system@mila.local"
+
+  """
+  @spec system_user_email() :: String.t()
+  def system_user_email, do: system_user_email_config()
+
+  # Returns the system user email from environment variable or default
+  # This allows configuration via SYSTEM_ACTOR_EMAIL env var
+  @spec system_user_email_config() :: String.t()
+  defp system_user_email_config do
+    System.get_env("SYSTEM_ACTOR_EMAIL") || "system@mila.local"
+  end
+
+  # Loads the system actor from the database
+  # First tries to find system@mila.local, then falls back to admin user
+  @spec load_system_actor() :: Mv.Accounts.User.t() | no_return()
+  defp load_system_actor do
+    case find_user_by_email(system_user_email_config()) do
+      {:ok, user} when not is_nil(user) ->
+        load_user_with_role(user)
+
+      {:ok, nil} ->
+        handle_system_user_not_found("no system user or admin user found")
+
+      {:error, _reason} = error ->
+        handle_system_user_error(error)
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Handles case when system user doesn't exist
+  @spec handle_system_user_not_found(String.t()) :: Mv.Accounts.User.t() | no_return()
+  defp handle_system_user_not_found(message) do
+    case load_admin_user_fallback() do
+      {:ok, admin_user} ->
+        admin_user
+
+      {:error, _} ->
+        handle_fallback_error(message)
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Handles database error when loading system user
+  @spec handle_system_user_error(term()) :: Mv.Accounts.User.t() | no_return()
+  defp handle_system_user_error(error) do
+    case load_admin_user_fallback() do
+      {:ok, admin_user} ->
+        admin_user
+
+      {:error, _} ->
+        handle_fallback_error("Failed to load system actor: #{inspect(error)}")
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Handles fallback error - creates test actor or raises
+  @spec handle_fallback_error(String.t()) :: Mv.Accounts.User.t() | no_return()
+  defp handle_fallback_error(message) do
+    if Config.sql_sandbox?() do
+      create_test_system_actor()
+    else
+      raise "Failed to load system actor: #{message}"
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Creates a temporary admin user for tests when no system/admin user exists
+  @spec create_test_system_actor() :: Mv.Accounts.User.t() | no_return()
+  defp create_test_system_actor do
+    alias Mv.Accounts
+    alias Mv.Authorization
+
+    admin_role = ensure_admin_role_exists()
+    create_system_user_with_role(admin_role)
+  end
+
+  # Ensures admin role exists - finds or creates it
+  @spec ensure_admin_role_exists() :: Mv.Authorization.Role.t() | no_return()
+  defp ensure_admin_role_exists do
+    case find_admin_role() do
+      {:ok, role} ->
+        role
+
+      {:error, :not_found} ->
+        create_admin_role_with_retry()
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Finds admin role in existing roles
+  @spec find_admin_role() :: {:ok, Mv.Authorization.Role.t()} | {:error, :not_found}
+  defp find_admin_role do
+    alias Mv.Authorization
+
+    case Authorization.list_roles() do
+      {:ok, roles} ->
+        case Enum.find(roles, &(&1.permission_set_name == "admin")) do
+          nil -> {:error, :not_found}
+          role -> {:ok, role}
+        end
+
+      _ ->
+        {:error, :not_found}
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Creates admin role, handling race conditions
+  @spec create_admin_role_with_retry() :: Mv.Authorization.Role.t() | no_return()
+  defp create_admin_role_with_retry do
+    alias Mv.Authorization
+
+    case create_admin_role() do
+      {:ok, role} ->
+        role
+
+      {:error, :already_exists} ->
+        find_existing_admin_role()
+
+      {:error, error} ->
+        raise "Failed to create admin role: #{inspect(error)}"
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Attempts to create admin role
+  @spec create_admin_role() ::
+          {:ok, Mv.Authorization.Role.t()} | {:error, :already_exists | term()}
+  defp create_admin_role do
+    alias Mv.Authorization
+
+    case Authorization.create_role(%{
+           name: "Admin",
+           description: "Administrator with full access",
+           permission_set_name: "admin"
+         }) do
+      {:ok, role} ->
+        {:ok, role}
+
+      {:error, %Ash.Error.Invalid{errors: [%{field: :name, message: "has already been taken"}]}} ->
+        {:error, :already_exists}
+
+      {:error, error} ->
+        {:error, error}
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Finds existing admin role after creation attempt failed due to race condition
+  @spec find_existing_admin_role() :: Mv.Authorization.Role.t() | no_return()
+  defp find_existing_admin_role do
+    alias Mv.Authorization
+
+    case Authorization.list_roles() do
+      {:ok, roles} ->
+        Enum.find(roles, &(&1.permission_set_name == "admin")) ||
+          raise "Admin role should exist but was not found"
+
+      _ ->
+        raise "Failed to find admin role after creation attempt"
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Creates system user with admin role assigned
+  # SECURITY: System user is created without password (hashed_password = nil) and
+  # without OIDC ID (oidc_id = nil) to prevent login. This user is ONLY for
+  # internal system operations via SystemActor and should never be used for authentication.
+  @spec create_system_user_with_role(Mv.Authorization.Role.t()) ::
+          Mv.Accounts.User.t() | no_return()
+  defp create_system_user_with_role(admin_role) do
+    alias Mv.Accounts
+
+    Accounts.create_user!(%{email: system_user_email_config()},
+      upsert?: true,
+      upsert_identity: :unique_email
+    )
+    |> Ash.Changeset.for_update(:update, %{})
+    |> Ash.Changeset.manage_relationship(:role, admin_role, type: :append_and_remove)
+    |> Ash.update!()
+    |> Ash.load!(:role, domain: Mv.Accounts)
+  end
+
+  # Finds a user by email address
+  # SECURITY: Uses authorize?: false for bootstrap lookup only.
+  # This is necessary because we need to find the system/admin user before
+  # we can load the system actor. If User policies require an actor, this
+  # would create a chicken-and-egg problem. This is safe because:
+  # 1. We only query by email (no sensitive data exposed)
+  # 2. This is only used during system actor initialization (bootstrap phase)
+  # 3. Once system actor is loaded, all subsequent operations use proper authorization
+  @spec find_user_by_email(String.t()) :: {:ok, Mv.Accounts.User.t() | nil} | {:error, term()}
+  defp find_user_by_email(email) do
+    Mv.Accounts.User
+    |> Ash.Query.filter(email == ^email)
+    |> Ash.read_one(domain: Mv.Accounts, authorize?: false)
+  end
+
+  # Loads a user with their role preloaded (required for authorization)
+  @spec load_user_with_role(Mv.Accounts.User.t()) :: Mv.Accounts.User.t() | no_return()
+  defp load_user_with_role(user) do
+    case Ash.load(user, :role, domain: Mv.Accounts) do
+      {:ok, user_with_role} ->
+        validate_admin_role(user_with_role)
+
+      {:error, reason} ->
+        raise "Failed to load role for system actor: #{inspect(reason)}"
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Validates that the user has an admin role
+  @spec validate_admin_role(Mv.Accounts.User.t()) :: Mv.Accounts.User.t() | no_return()
+  defp validate_admin_role(%{role: %{permission_set_name: "admin"}} = user) do
+    user
+  end
+
+  @spec validate_admin_role(Mv.Accounts.User.t()) :: no_return()
+  defp validate_admin_role(%{role: %{permission_set_name: permission_set}}) do
+    raise """
+    System actor must have admin role, but has permission_set_name: #{permission_set}
+    Please assign the "Admin" role to the system user.
+    """
+  end
+
+  @spec validate_admin_role(Mv.Accounts.User.t()) :: no_return()
+  defp validate_admin_role(%{role: nil}) do
+    raise """
+    System actor must have a role assigned, but role is nil.
+    Please assign the "Admin" role to the system user.
+    """
+  end
+
+  @spec validate_admin_role(term()) :: no_return()
+  defp validate_admin_role(_user) do
+    raise """
+    System actor must have a role with admin permissions.
+    Please assign the "Admin" role to the system user.
+    """
+  end
+
+  # Fallback: Loads admin user from seeds (ADMIN_EMAIL env var or default)
+  @spec load_admin_user_fallback() :: {:ok, Mv.Accounts.User.t()} | {:error, term()}
+  defp load_admin_user_fallback do
+    admin_email = System.get_env("ADMIN_EMAIL") || "admin@localhost"
+
+    case find_user_by_email(admin_email) do
+      {:ok, user} when not is_nil(user) ->
+        {:ok, load_user_with_role(user)}
+
+      {:ok, nil} ->
+        {:error, :admin_user_not_found}
+
+      {:error, _reason} = error ->
+        error
+    end
+  end
+end

lib/mv/membership/import/member_csv.ex

@@ -310,20 +310,10 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Import.MemberCSV do
 
         case process_row(row_map, line_number, custom_field_lookup, actor) do
           {:ok, _member} ->
-            {acc_inserted + 1, acc_failed, acc_errors, acc_error_count, acc_truncated?}
+            update_inserted(acc)
 
           {:error, error} ->
-            new_acc_failed = acc_failed + 1
-
-            # Only collect errors if under limit
-            {new_acc_errors, new_error_count, new_truncated?} =
-              if current_error_count < max_errors do
-                {[error | acc_errors], acc_error_count + 1, acc_truncated?}
-              else
-                {acc_errors, acc_error_count, true}
-              end
-
-            {acc_inserted, new_acc_failed, new_acc_errors, new_error_count, new_truncated?}
+            handle_row_error(acc, error, current_error_count, max_errors)
         end
       end)
 
@@ -397,11 +387,9 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Import.MemberCSV do
 
   # Extracts the first error from a changeset and converts it to a MemberCSV.Error struct
   defp extract_changeset_error(changeset, csv_line_number) do
-    case Ecto.Changeset.traverse_errors(changeset, fn {msg, opts} ->
-           Enum.reduce(opts, msg, fn {key, value}, acc ->
-             String.replace(acc, "%{#{key}}", to_string(value))
-           end)
-         end) do
+    errors = Ecto.Changeset.traverse_errors(changeset, &format_error_message/1)
+
+    case errors do
       %{email: [message | _]} ->
         # Email-specific error
         %Error{
@@ -430,6 +418,56 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Import.MemberCSV do
     end
   end
 
+  # Helper function to update accumulator when row is successfully inserted
+  defp update_inserted({acc_inserted, acc_failed, acc_errors, acc_error_count, acc_truncated?}) do
+    {acc_inserted + 1, acc_failed, acc_errors, acc_error_count, acc_truncated?}
+  end
+
+  # Helper function to handle row error with error count limit checking
+  defp handle_row_error(
+         {acc_inserted, acc_failed, acc_errors, acc_error_count, acc_truncated?},
+         error,
+         current_error_count,
+         max_errors
+       ) do
+    new_acc_failed = acc_failed + 1
+
+    {new_acc_errors, new_error_count, new_truncated?} =
+      collect_error_if_under_limit(
+        error,
+        acc_errors,
+        acc_error_count,
+        acc_truncated?,
+        current_error_count,
+        max_errors
+      )
+
+    {acc_inserted, new_acc_failed, new_acc_errors, new_error_count, new_truncated?}
+  end
+
+  # Helper function to collect error only if under limit
+  defp collect_error_if_under_limit(
+         error,
+         acc_errors,
+         acc_error_count,
+         acc_truncated?,
+         current_error_count,
+         max_errors
+       ) do
+    if current_error_count < max_errors do
+      {[error | acc_errors], acc_error_count + 1, acc_truncated?}
+    else
+      {acc_errors, acc_error_count, true}
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Formats error message by replacing placeholders
+  defp format_error_message({msg, opts}) do
+    Enum.reduce(opts, msg, fn {key, value}, acc ->
+      String.replace(acc, "%{#{key}}", to_string(value))
+    end)
+  end
+
   # Maps changeset error messages to appropriate Gettext messages
   defp gettext_error_message(message) when is_binary(message) do
     cond do

lib/mv/membership/member/validations/email_not_used_by_other_user.ex

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Member.Validations.EmailNotUsedByOtherUser do
   use Ash.Resource.Validation
   alias Mv.Helpers
 
+  require Logger
+
   @doc """
   Validates email uniqueness across linked Member-User pairs.
 
@@ -30,8 +32,7 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Member.Validations.EmailNotUsedByOtherUser do
   def validate(changeset, _opts, _context) do
     email_changing? = Ash.Changeset.changing_attribute?(changeset, :email)
 
-    actor = Map.get(changeset.context || %{}, :actor)
-    linked_user_id = get_linked_user_id(changeset.data, actor)
+    linked_user_id = get_linked_user_id(changeset.data)
     is_linked? = not is_nil(linked_user_id)
 
     # Only validate if member is already linked AND email is changing
@@ -40,19 +41,22 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Member.Validations.EmailNotUsedByOtherUser do
 
     if should_validate? do
       new_email = Ash.Changeset.get_attribute(changeset, :email)
-      check_email_uniqueness(new_email, linked_user_id, actor)
+      check_email_uniqueness(new_email, linked_user_id)
     else
       :ok
     end
   end
 
-  defp check_email_uniqueness(email, exclude_user_id, actor) do
+  defp check_email_uniqueness(email, exclude_user_id) do
+    alias Mv.Helpers.SystemActor
+
     query =
       Mv.Accounts.User
       |> Ash.Query.filter(email == ^email)
       |> maybe_exclude_id(exclude_user_id)
 
-    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(actor)
+    system_actor = SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(system_actor)
 
     case Ash.read(query, opts) do
       {:ok, []} ->
@@ -61,7 +65,11 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Member.Validations.EmailNotUsedByOtherUser do
       {:ok, _} ->
         {:error, field: :email, message: "is already used by another user", value: email}
 
-      {:error, _} ->
+      {:error, reason} ->
+        Logger.warning(
+          "Email uniqueness validation query failed for member email '#{email}': #{inspect(reason)}. Allowing operation to proceed (fail-open)."
+        )
+
         :ok
     end
   end
@@ -69,8 +77,11 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Member.Validations.EmailNotUsedByOtherUser do
   defp maybe_exclude_id(query, nil), do: query
   defp maybe_exclude_id(query, id), do: Ash.Query.filter(query, id != ^id)
 
-  defp get_linked_user_id(member_data, actor) do
-    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(actor)
+  defp get_linked_user_id(member_data) do
+    alias Mv.Helpers.SystemActor
+
+    system_actor = SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(system_actor)
 
     case Ash.load(member_data, :user, opts) do
       {:ok, %{user: %{id: id}}} -> id

lib/mv/membership_fees/cycle_generator.ex

@@ -30,12 +30,11 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
 
   ## Authorization
 
-  This module runs systemically and accepts optional actor parameters.
-  When called from hooks/changes, actor is extracted from changeset context.
-  When called directly, actor should be provided for proper authorization.
+  This module runs systemically and uses the system actor for all operations.
+  This ensures that cycle generation always works, regardless of user permissions.
 
-  All functions accept an optional `actor` parameter in the `opts` keyword list
-  that is passed to Ash operations to ensure proper authorization checks are performed.
+  All functions use `Mv.Helpers.SystemActor.get_system_actor/0` to bypass
+  user permission checks, as cycle generation is a mandatory side effect.
 
   ## Examples
 
@@ -47,6 +46,8 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
 
   """
 
+  alias Mv.Helpers
+  alias Mv.Helpers.SystemActor
   alias Mv.Membership.Member
   alias Mv.MembershipFees.CalendarCycles
   alias Mv.MembershipFees.Changes.SetMembershipFeeStartDate
@@ -86,9 +87,7 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
   def generate_cycles_for_member(member_or_id, opts \\ [])
 
   def generate_cycles_for_member(member_id, opts) when is_binary(member_id) do
-    actor = Keyword.get(opts, :actor)
-
-    case load_member(member_id, actor: actor) do
+    case load_member(member_id) do
       {:ok, member} -> generate_cycles_for_member(member, opts)
       {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
     end
@@ -98,27 +97,25 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
     today = Keyword.get(opts, :today, Date.utc_today())
     skip_lock? = Keyword.get(opts, :skip_lock?, false)
 
-    do_generate_cycles_with_lock(member, today, skip_lock?, opts)
+    do_generate_cycles_with_lock(member, today, skip_lock?)
   end
 
   # Generate cycles with lock handling
   # Returns {:ok, cycles, notifications} - notifications are never sent here,
   # they should be returned to the caller (e.g., via after_action hook)
-  defp do_generate_cycles_with_lock(member, today, true = _skip_lock?, opts) do
+  defp do_generate_cycles_with_lock(member, today, true = _skip_lock?) do
     # Lock already set by caller (e.g., regenerate_cycles_on_type_change)
     # Just generate cycles without additional locking
-    actor = Keyword.get(opts, :actor)
-    do_generate_cycles(member, today, actor: actor)
+    do_generate_cycles(member, today)
   end
 
-  defp do_generate_cycles_with_lock(member, today, false, opts) do
+  defp do_generate_cycles_with_lock(member, today, false) do
     lock_key = :erlang.phash2(member.id)
-    actor = Keyword.get(opts, :actor)
 
     Repo.transaction(fn ->
       Ecto.Adapters.SQL.query!(Repo, "SELECT pg_advisory_xact_lock($1)", [lock_key])
 
-      case do_generate_cycles(member, today, actor: actor) do
+      case do_generate_cycles(member, today) do
         {:ok, cycles, notifications} ->
           # Return cycles and notifications - do NOT send notifications here
           # They will be sent by the caller (e.g., via after_action hook)
@@ -168,12 +165,15 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
     # Query ALL members with fee type assigned (including inactive/left members)
     # The exit_date boundary is applied during cycle generation, not here.
     # This allows catch-up generation for members who left but are missing cycles.
+    system_actor = SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(system_actor)
+
     query =
       Member
       |> Ash.Query.filter(not is_nil(membership_fee_type_id))
       |> Ash.Query.filter(not is_nil(join_date))
 
-    case Ash.read(query) do
+    case Ash.read(query, opts) do
       {:ok, members} ->
         results = process_members_in_batches(members, batch_size, today)
         {:ok, build_results_summary(results)}
@@ -235,33 +235,25 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
 
   # Private functions
 
-  defp load_member(member_id, opts) do
-    actor = Keyword.get(opts, :actor)
+  defp load_member(member_id) do
+    system_actor = SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(system_actor)
 
     query =
       Member
       |> Ash.Query.filter(id == ^member_id)
       |> Ash.Query.load([:membership_fee_type, :membership_fee_cycles])
 
-    result =
-      if actor do
-        Ash.read_one(query, actor: actor)
-      else
-        Ash.read_one(query)
-      end
-
-    case result do
+    case Ash.read_one(query, opts) do
       {:ok, nil} -> {:error, :member_not_found}
       {:ok, member} -> {:ok, member}
       {:error, reason} -> {:error, reason}
     end
   end
 
-  defp do_generate_cycles(member, today, opts) do
-    actor = Keyword.get(opts, :actor)
-
+  defp do_generate_cycles(member, today) do
     # Reload member with relationships to ensure fresh data
-    case load_member(member.id, actor: actor) do
+    case load_member(member.id) do
       {:ok, member} ->
         cond do
           is_nil(member.membership_fee_type_id) ->
@@ -271,7 +263,7 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
             {:error, :no_join_date}
 
           true ->
-            generate_missing_cycles(member, today, actor: actor)
+            generate_missing_cycles(member, today)
         end
 
       {:error, reason} ->
@@ -279,8 +271,7 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
     end
   end
 
-  defp generate_missing_cycles(member, today, opts) do
-    actor = Keyword.get(opts, :actor)
+  defp generate_missing_cycles(member, today) do
     fee_type = member.membership_fee_type
     interval = fee_type.interval
     amount = fee_type.amount
@@ -296,7 +287,7 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
     # Only generate if start_date <= end_date
     if start_date && Date.compare(start_date, end_date) != :gt do
       cycle_starts = generate_cycle_starts(start_date, end_date, interval)
-      create_cycles(cycle_starts, member.id, fee_type.id, amount, actor: actor)
+      create_cycles(cycle_starts, member.id, fee_type.id, amount)
     else
       {:ok, [], []}
     end
@@ -391,8 +382,10 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
     end
   end
 
-  defp create_cycles(cycle_starts, member_id, fee_type_id, amount, opts) do
-    actor = Keyword.get(opts, :actor)
+  defp create_cycles(cycle_starts, member_id, fee_type_id, amount) do
+    system_actor = SystemActor.get_system_actor()
+    opts = Helpers.ash_actor_opts(system_actor)
+
     # Always use return_notifications?: true to collect notifications
     # Notifications will be returned to the caller, who is responsible for
     # sending them (e.g., via after_action hook returning {:ok, result, notifications})
@@ -407,7 +400,7 @@ defmodule Mv.MembershipFees.CycleGenerator do
         }
 
         handle_cycle_creation_result(
-          Ash.create(MembershipFeeCycle, attrs, return_notifications?: true, actor: actor),
+          Ash.create(MembershipFeeCycle, attrs, [return_notifications?: true] ++ opts),
           cycle_start
         )
       end)