Moodle

IE8 and Secure Quiz incompatibility

Details

  • Type: Bug Bug
  • Status: Closed Closed
  • Priority: Major Major
  • Resolution: Won't Fix
  • Affects Version/s: 1.9.5
  • Fix Version/s: None
  • Component/s: Quiz
  • Labels:
    None
  • Environment:
    Moodle 1.9.5 (Build: 20090518); SunOS HTTP-O-001 5.10 Generic_139556-08 i86pc ; Apache 2.0 Handler ; PHP API 20041225 ;
  • Affected Branches:
    MOODLE_19_STABLE

Description

I will file this as a separate tracker, but for now - IE8 is causing problems with secure quizzes with limited number of questions available per page as described below:

IE 8 is requesting "allow access to the clipboard" when a student attempts to take a secure exam that limits the number of questions per page.

I've tested this in Explorer 8 - and it does prompt for access to clipboard once the student clicks on "continue" to begin his/her attempt. But if you say "allow access" to the IE8 clipboard prompt, you stay in the quiz. If you don't allow access, you are booted out of the quiz. If you clicked on allow access, take the first page of questions, and then click on "save without submitting" on the quiz - it does boot you back to the first page and doesn't save your answers. If instead you click "next" to access the next page of questions, there is no problem. Then you have to click on "submit all and finish" when done with the exam.

Temporary fix instructions to users:

Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) has a current incompatibility with quizzes delivered in secure mode with a limited number of questions per page on our system.

If you are an IE 8 user, we describe below how you can currently work-around this bug.

1. When you log in to take your quiz- immediately after you click on the "Continue" button to begin, if you are prompted to "Allow access to your clipboard", choose "Allow access".

2. Take the first page of questions on the quiz. When you are ready to go to the next page of questions, click on the "Next" button. Again, choose "Allow access" when you are prompted by Internet Explorer 8 for access to your clipboard.

3. Do this for each page of questions.

4. When you are finished with the last page of questions, click on "Submit all and Finish" and click "ok" to close your quiz attempt.

This will save your work.

Do not at any time during the quiz click on "save without submitting" or you will lose your work and return to the first screen of the quiz or be booted out of the quiz.

Issue Links

This issue has a non-specific relationship to:
MDL-7109 Quiz in 'secure' mode display security alert in IE7 Minor Closed
This issue has been marked as being related by:
MDL-18645 IE8 meta issues Major Open

Activity

Ascending order - Click to sort in descending order
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Permalink
Tim Hunt added a comment -

Neither a security issue, nor a blocker.

And almost a duplicate of MDL-7109. See my comments there.

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Tim Hunt added a comment - Neither a security issue, nor a blocker. And almost a duplicate of MDL-7109. See my comments there.
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Permalink
Mary Parke added a comment -

Thanks Tim. I was wondering if it was a security issue in the context of having to allow access to the clipboard when taking a secure quiz....?

Didn't see that other tracker - thanks for the link to it.

  • Mary
Show
Mary Parke added a comment - Thanks Tim. I was wondering if it was a security issue in the context of having to allow access to the clipboard when taking a secure quiz....? Didn't see that other tracker - thanks for the link to it.
  • Mary
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Mary Parke added a comment -

I posted a visual step-by-step for resolution (fixing the IE 8 browser settings) here if anyone needs it:

http://insight.ccsf.edu/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=37573

Step by step (without images):

In order to make Internet Explorer 8 compatible with Insight quizzes, please follow the below instructions to change a setting in your browser:

1. Open Internet Explorer 8

2. In the menu bar, click on Tools

3. Select Internet Options

4. Select Security

5. Select Custom Level

6. Scroll down to Scripting

7. Look for Allow programmatic clipboard access

8. Change the setting from Prompt to Enable

9. Click on OK to save your changes

Show
Mary Parke added a comment - I posted a visual step-by-step for resolution (fixing the IE 8 browser settings) here if anyone needs it: http://insight.ccsf.edu/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=37573 Step by step (without images): In order to make Internet Explorer 8 compatible with Insight quizzes, please follow the below instructions to change a setting in your browser: 1. Open Internet Explorer 8 2. In the menu bar, click on Tools 3. Select Internet Options 4. Select Security 5. Select Custom Level 6. Scroll down to Scripting 7. Look for Allow programmatic clipboard access 8. Change the setting from Prompt to Enable 9. Click on OK to save your changes
Hide
Permalink
Tim Hunt added a comment -

The point is that the 'secure' mode script needs to access the clipboard because one of the things it does is to constantly delete anything that is on the clipboard - that making it impossible for the user to do other things with their computer while attempting a quiz in secure mode. That is just rude, on Moodle's part, and one of the reasons why I don't like 'secure' mode. That is also why, by default, IE 7 and 8 prevent web pages from doing this.

Show
Tim Hunt added a comment - The point is that the 'secure' mode script needs to access the clipboard because one of the things it does is to constantly delete anything that is on the clipboard - that making it impossible for the user to do other things with their computer while attempting a quiz in secure mode. That is just rude, on Moodle's part, and one of the reasons why I don't like 'secure' mode. That is also why, by default, IE 7 and 8 prevent web pages from doing this.
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Permalink
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment -

Allowing access to clipboard is in fact a security problem, that is why the prompt is there and is not going to disappear. Imagine you copy/paste some sensitive information in Word, or even your "long & secure" password - then any site could silently steal this information, right?

The only solution is to use computers in special examination rooms with special crippled web browsers, forcing current "secure" mode on normal users is only going to cause problems, it can not solve anything, it just gives teachers a false sense of "security".

Show
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment - Allowing access to clipboard is in fact a security problem, that is why the prompt is there and is not going to disappear. Imagine you copy/paste some sensitive information in Word, or even your "long & secure" password - then any site could silently steal this information, right? The only solution is to use computers in special examination rooms with special crippled web browsers, forcing current "secure" mode on normal users is only going to cause problems, it can not solve anything, it just gives teachers a false sense of "security".
Hide
Permalink
Tim Hunt added a comment -

Yes indeed. And 'Safe exam browser' is an open-source locked down browser. See MDL-19145.

Petr, I would love to remove 'secure' mode, but I am not allowed to. Whenever I propose it there are howls of protest from the quiz forum and Martin says no.

Show
Tim Hunt added a comment - Yes indeed. And 'Safe exam browser' is an open-source locked down browser. See MDL-19145. Petr, I would love to remove 'secure' mode, but I am not allowed to. Whenever I propose it there are howls of protest from the quiz forum and Martin says no.
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Permalink
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment -

hmm, I would vote for that too - we could at least print warning next to that setting that it is not compatible with most browsers and is relatively easy to circumvent...

Show
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment - hmm, I would vote for that too - we could at least print warning next to that setting that it is not compatible with most browsers and is relatively easy to circumvent...
Hide
Permalink
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment -

...and then start closing all reports as "Not a bug/Will not fix"

Show
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment - ...and then start closing all reports as "Not a bug/Will not fix"
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Michael de Raadt added a comment -

Thanks for reporting this issue.

We have detected that this issue has been inactive for over a year has been recorded as affecting versions that are no longer supported.

If you believe that this issue is still relevant to current versions (2.1 and beyond), please comment on the issue. Issues left inactive for a further month will be closed.

Michael d;

lqjjLKA0p6

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Michael de Raadt added a comment - Thanks for reporting this issue. We have detected that this issue has been inactive for over a year has been recorded as affecting versions that are no longer supported. If you believe that this issue is still relevant to current versions (2.1 and beyond), please comment on the issue. Issues left inactive for a further month will be closed. Michael d; lqjjLKA0p6
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Michael de Raadt added a comment -

I'm closing this issue as it appears to have become inactive and is probably not relevant to a current supported version. If you are encountering this problem or one similar, please launch a new issue.

Show
Michael de Raadt added a comment - I'm closing this issue as it appears to have become inactive and is probably not relevant to a current supported version. If you are encountering this problem or one similar, please launch a new issue.

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Dates

  • Created:
    Updated:
    Resolved:
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