Hi,

I open this tracker item after a french discussion (https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=393943 ) and reading Tim's message in an english discussion (https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=383580#p1545971 ).

I've seen a problem with Quizzes, on my Moodle 3.7.3 production, and made tests on a completly new Moodle 3.8+, without added plugin. It certainly also is the same on previous versions.

Problems are with Quizzes with "Time limit" defined, and "Open attemps are submitted automatically" selected.

First problem we encountered, with a real user. Her computer has a problem with time, and time on her computer is (very) late (quickly). When she makes an attempt, on a 20 minutes quizz, and her computer synchronises time via ntp, it put time several minutes in the "futur" (real time, but "futur" compared with previous time on her computer). And so, depending of the difference, chronometer has less time, or if the difference is bigger then available time, the attempt is automatically send For here, in real, it was sent after 11 minutes, for 20 allowed

I think that, in the process of automatically terminating an attempt, it should verify that real time has really elapsed. And if not the case, return back to the previous page, with chronometer updated.

Seeing that, i've made tests, to verify if user could abuse the system to have more time, changing time on personnal computer. What i can say is:

• real attempt submission time is always register
• when you change page, chronometer is updated with real time available
• when task mod_quiz\task\update_overdue_attempts is launched, it terminates attempts with real time elapsed. It does nothing for attempts with "false terminated time" (what our user had).
• but if task mod_quiz\task\update_overdue_attempts is NOT launched, and user didn't change page, and changed time on personnal computer, he can benefit several more minutes

So, if for a reason, admin as changed parameters for task mod_quiz\task\update_overdue_attempts (no more ASAP, like by default), or cron is NOT defined each minute, student could abuse the system, and gain several minutes.

If quizz is configured one question by page, i think it's not to much a problem. But if you have 10 (or more) questions per page, he could benefit several more minutes, at least on the latest page.

I know that, IF Moodle is well configured, like defined by default, and explained in documentation (cron each minute), it's not a problem. I just wonder if something more should be made to handle these cases, like verifying this task configuration and cron execution (or it's to much overengineering?).

And at least the first problem, real, should be fixed, because i think it can be considered as user data loss (no time to enter data).

Hope you can do something.
Séverin