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Application Error: "An unrecoverable error has occurred" (Configuration & Browser Exam Key Calculation) #883

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katlee890 opened this issue May 17, 2024 · 44 comments
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Application Error: "An unrecoverable error has occurred" (Configuration & Browser Exam Key Calculation) #883

katlee890 opened this issue May 17, 2024 · 44 comments
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@dbuechel
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bug This issue describes a bug in the software.
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SEB 3.8.0
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3.8.0

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@katlee890
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Important

Describe the Bug
Hello!
We use SEB in conjunction with Moodle (version 4.1.10).
Since last week we have been getting the following error message:

"A fatal error has occurred. Please consult the application log for more information. SEB will now exit..."

Various tests were carried out. The crashes occurred either immediately when starting the SEB or during an active test attempt. Our IT technician has already completely reinstalled the SEB to version 3.7.0, unfortunately without success.

We use a Safe Exam Browser configuration template stored in Moodle, which we make available in the administration and which can be selected via the test settings in Moodle.

I have attached all the logs of the successful and crashed sessions. Maybe you can read something here about why the crashes occur? I am very grateful for every hint.

Best regards, Kat

Version Information

  • OS: Windows 11
  • SEB-Version 3.0.7
  • Moodle Version 4.1.10

seb_logs.zip
SEBProbleme
@CesareTiba
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CesareTiba commented May 21, 2024 •
edited

Hi, we are running into the same issue.
We are runnin SEB for computer lab tests with the same configuration (Moodle and SEB).
I've updated seb from version 3.5 to 3.7 with no luck.
The problem seems to be on every single computer of the lab (40).
One odd thing is that after SEB crashes we get back loading the same seb configuration file and we are able to finish it.
Only once this morning I was able to finish the test with no issue.

Attached you'll find also our logs of this morning.

OS: Windows 11
SEB-Version 3.7.0 (previously 3.5)

Logs.zip

@dbuechel
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dbuechel commented May 27, 2024 •
edited

Thanks for the extensive reports. The crashes do all appear on or after a browser navigation, but the logs most unfortunately do not contain any specific reason or cause of the crashes.

Please search the Event Viewer (Ereignisanzeige) system application of Windows under Windows Logs > Application (Anwendung) for any warning and error messages related to Safe Exam Browser and/or .NET (Runtime). They should entail the exact reason of failure and it would be great if you could post them here.

@dbuechel dbuechel added the information required This issue lacks information or requires feedback. label May 27, 2024
@CesareTiba
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CesareTiba commented May 27, 2024 via email

@CesareTiba
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CesareTiba commented May 27, 2024 via email •
edited

@dbuechel
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Thanks a lot for the update @CesareTiba! In your case, the calculation of the Configuration Key appears to cause a crash:

System.Security.Cryptography.CryptographicException
   in System.Security.Cryptography.BCryptHashAlgorithm.HashCore(Byte[], Int32, Int32)
   in System.Security.Cryptography.HashAlgorithm.TransformBlock(Byte[], Int32, Int32, Byte[], Int32)
   in System.Security.Cryptography.SHA256Managed.HashCore(Byte[], Int32, Int32)
   in System.Security.Cryptography.HashAlgorithm.ComputeHash(Byte[])
   in SafeExamBrowser.Configuration.Cryptography.KeyGenerator.CalculateConfigurationKeyHash(System.String, System.String)
   in SafeExamBrowser.Browser.Handlers.ResourceHandler.AppendCustomHeaders(CefSharp.IWebBrowser, CefSharp.IRequest)
   in SafeExamBrowser.Browser.Handlers.ResourceHandler.OnBeforeResourceLoad(CefSharp.IWebBrowser, CefSharp.IBrowser, CefSharp.IFrame, CefSharp.IRequest, CefSharp.IRequestCallback)

Now the question is: Why? Do you happen to have an extensive configuration with e.g. URL filters and third-party applications (potentially including command-line arguments)? And could you either way please test whether you're running into the same issue when using a most basic as possible configuration with ideally only default values.

@katlee890
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Hello!
Thank you both for the feedback and input. My colleague and I have now installed the Safe Exam Browser on our private devices. We wanted to know whether this was a problem only in the IT rooms or not. While many tests ran without problems, we were still able to recreate the same error message. It is strange that many tests on the same device run without problems and the crashes do not appear consistently on one device. I am sending attached the error messages from the Event Viewer.

The first file comes from our IT technician, who sent me the error log from a PC in our IT rooms.
One zip file is from my private device, the second zip file is from my colleague's private device.

Thank you!

1. IT Rooms.txt
3. Private PC 2.zip
2. Private PC 1.zip

@swz23
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swz23 commented May 28, 2024

We've also been seeing this happen regularly in the last few weeks, with about 10-20% of Win users affected. Luckily it only crashes once and then works fine until the end of the exam once SEB has been restarted with the same config (using the quit password to get past the red lock screen).

  • We're also running Moodle 4.1.10 (might be coincidence, but we didn't witness this issue on previous versions)
  • Our configs are fairly simple. We use Moodle to generate a config file, download it, open it in SEB edit mode (using mac SEB 3.3.2), disable the Mac menu bar (which could be used to use text replacements, presumably fixed in macSEB 3.3.3), block all external links and that's it, nothing complicated. This config then gets reuploaded in Moodle ("use own config").
  • We've seen it happen on 3.7.0 and 3.6.0.

@CesareTiba
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And could you either way please test whether you're running into the same issue when using a most basic as possible configuration with ideally only default values.

I think our configuration is not so complicated, but I'll ask to whom manage Moodle installation to produce a simpliest version of the configuration file.
I can share our config.seb file with you. I've changed the domain name we use.
config.seb.txt

@dbuechel
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Thanks for the additional information. I shall further investigate the issue once time permits, presumably in the upcoming 1-2 weeks.

@dbuechel dbuechel added being investigated This issue is being investigated. and removed information required This issue lacks information or requires feedback. labels May 29, 2024
@micimh
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micimh commented May 31, 2024

This also started happening to some of our students in the last 2-3 weeks. Most of the time it crashes, when the students want to start or exit an exam. In most cases they just need to re-start SEB and log in again, no quit passwords needed.

  • We're running OLAT 5.6.0 (based on OpenOLAT17.2)
  • We have quite a few URLs on the whitelist but no third-party applications
  • We've seen it mostly with Windows11 (SEB-Version 3.6.0.40)

@dbuechel
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@micimh If you'd have any SEB or system logs with further details, then that'd be of great help (especially crash logs from the application log in the event viewer system application).

@marcgei
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marcgei commented May 31, 2024

@dbuechel referring to the message of @micimh i can provide SEB-Logs, hopefully we can provide logs from the event veiwer next week
2024-05-29_17h49m42s_Runtime.log
2024-05-29_17h49m42s_Client.log
2024-05-29_17h49m42s_Browser.log

@micimh
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micimh commented Jun 4, 2024

@dbuechel, we have a few more questions:

  1. Is there any news surrounding this issue? Are we right to assume that it might be related to a Windows11-Update, either from 14. or 29. may?
  2. Do you assume, this issue only happens by using the Configuration Key or also the Browser Exam Key?
  3. Do you need any additional SEB-Logfiles or event viewer logfiles?

@dbuechel
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dbuechel commented Jun 4, 2024

Thanks for the additional information, I also have received the event viewer data. I shall have a look at it once time permits, hopefully already by the end of this week.

dbuechel added a commit that referenced this issue Jun 6, 2024
@dbuechel
SEBWIN-893, #883: Attempt to fix possible concurrency issue with (con…
04dce13 
…figuration) key hash calculation.
@dbuechel
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dbuechel commented Jun 6, 2024 •
edited

I have located a possible concurrency issue with the key hash calculation, but am uncertain whether it really is the cause of the crashes (especially since they only appear to happen when calculating the configuration key hash, whereas I would expect to also see crashes due to the browser exam key hash calculation).

Either way, I have implemented an improvement which can be tested in the latest beta build for version 3.8.0: https://sebdev.ethz.ch/api/buildjobs/60e5ojn5btt2kj3t/artifacts/SEB_3.8.0.693_SetupBundle.exe. It would be of great help if as many of you which can (reliably) reproduce the issue could test the latest build to see whether it indeed fixes the problem or not.

@CesareTiba
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CesareTiba commented Jun 6, 2024 via email

@CesareTiba
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CesareTiba commented Jun 7, 2024 •
edited

Good news.
This morning we installed the beta on our 40 seats lab and right away we had two exams (Moodle+SEB).
None of the pc experienced the problem.
Thank you!

@katlee890
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Hello! Thanks for the beta - I'll pass it on to our IT technician and ask him to install it in one of our computer rooms. However, we can't carry out tests until next week - I'll let you know then whether the problem persists.

The good news from Cesare makes me feel positive though :)

Thanks and see you soon!

@micimh
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micimh commented Jun 7, 2024 •
edited

@dbuechel thank you for the update.
Does this issue have something to do with QTI-tests? We are using OLAT and the other commenters all use Moodle, so QTI seems to be where we intersect. In our exams it seems to only be happening when starting a QTI-test.
Also, do you think this issue wouldn't occur if we used the Browser Exam Key? As we are in the midst of the exam session and only have BYOD-exams it isn't possible for us to distribute a new SEB-version.

@katlee890
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A quick update - unfortunately our IT technician is on vacation until June 19th. We will have to test the beta on our private devices for as long as possible and schedule the tests in the computer rooms for the end of June. I'll report back then :)

@dbuechel
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dbuechel commented Jun 7, 2024

@CesareTiba That's excellent, thanks for the quick testing and feedback! Let's hope that this then indeed was the issue, otherwise we'd be back to square one. You were (with the official versions) able to reliably reproduce the problem in your lab?

@dbuechel
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dbuechel commented Jun 7, 2024 •
edited

@micimh I am not familiar with QTI, but if it causes an extended amount of network traffic, then that might indeed apply (as it appears to have been a concurrency issue when rendering a web page).

@dbuechel
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dbuechel commented Jun 7, 2024

@katlee890 No worries, the release of version 3.8.0 is currently scheduled for the end of August.

@dbuechel dbuechel added the bug This issue describes a bug in the software. label Jun 7, 2024
@dbuechel dbuechel added this to To do in SEB 3.8.0 via automation Jun 7, 2024
@dbuechel dbuechel mentioned this issue Jun 10, 2024
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@ThomasL-AP ThomasL-AP mentioned this issue Jun 11, 2024
Closed
@dbuechel dbuechel pinned this issue Jun 11, 2024
@dbuechel dbuechel changed the title Application error: A fatal error has occurred. Please consult the application log... Application Error: An unrecoverable error has occurred (Configuration Key Calculation) Jun 12, 2024
@dbuechel dbuechel changed the title Application Error: An unrecoverable error has occurred (Configuration Key Calculation) Application Error: "An unrecoverable error has occurred" (Configuration Key Calculation) Jun 12, 2024
@steveorulez
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Hello, we just had the same issue on moodle 4.1.10 with SEB 3.5, 3.6, 3.7
no errors on SEB 3.4.1 or 3.3.1

Since all the exams are BYOD we will ask the students that had a crash to install 3.8 beta

thanks a lot for your support @dbuechel

christian

@dbuechel
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dbuechel commented Jun 12, 2024 •
edited

@steveorulez That on the one hand would be good in order to know whether the fix indeed resolves the problem, but on the other hand please do note that SEB 3.8.0 is still in development and we do not recommend using beta versions in a production environment.

dbuechel added a commit that referenced this issue Jun 13, 2024
@dbuechel
SEBWIN-893, #883: Implemented unit test for concurrency issue resolut…
58c8e69 
…ion.
@dbuechel dbuechel removed the being investigated This issue is being investigated. label Jun 13, 2024
@dbuechel
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We were able to verify with a unit test that the concurrency issue mentioned above indeed is the cause of the crashes and that the already implemented fix (see 04dce13) resolves the issue. We shall thus release a patch version 3.7.1 by no later than the end of this week.

@katlee890
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Hi! Thank you all for the tests and messages so far. I started testing on my personal laptop yesterday and had no crashes (yay!).

As soon as the fix is ​​available and our technician is back from his vacation, we will test it in the IT rooms, but I am sure that there will be no more problems :)

Thanks and best wishes,
Kat

@steveorulez
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Hello, we can confirm that 5 students today installed SEB 3.8.0 BETA and no crash happened so far.

Thanks @dbuechel for the update on the fix

christian

@dbuechel
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Excellent, thanks for the updates, that's great to know.

dbuechel added a commit that referenced this issue Jun 13, 2024
@dbuechel
SEBWIN-898, SEBWIN-893, #883: Patch of version 3.6.0 which fixes conc…
a977fd3 
…urrency issue with CK and BEK hash calculation.
@micimh
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micimh commented Jun 14, 2024

We were able to verify with a unit test that the concurrency issue mentioned above indeed is the cause of the crashes and that the already implemented fix (see 04dce13) resolves the issue. We shall thus release a patch version 3.7.1 by no later than the end of this week.

Thanks a lot @dbuechel for the update.
Just for clarity: does this concurrency issue only happen when using the Configuration Key or does it affect the Browser Exam Key as well?

@steveorulez
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steveorulez commented Jun 14, 2024 •
edited

Excellent, thanks for the updates, that's great to know.

Hello, we installed 30+ SEB 3.8 BETA on student laptop and so far we only had 1 crash.
The student lost internet and we were not able to close SEB or refresh the page, nothing was clickable. We had to force the restart of the pc and it had windows update pending.

If the student had SEB 3.5/3.6/3.7 we updated to 3.8 BETA, i know it's not a production version but the first few days were impossible to manage.

christian

@dbuechel
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Just for clarity: does this concurrency issue only happen when using the Configuration Key or does it affect the Browser Exam Key as well?

Yes, it affects both unfortunately.

@dbuechel
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The student lost internet and we were not able to close SEB or refresh the page, nothing was clickable. We had to force the restart of the pc and it had windows update pending.

That was due to an issue we still had in that build related to a new network adapter feature, thus the warning that development builds shouldn't be used in a production environment. We will release SEB 3.7.1 today, so then that version can and should be used for exams.

@dbuechel dbuechel changed the title Application Error: "An unrecoverable error has occurred" (Configuration Key Calculation) Application Error: "An unrecoverable error has occurred" (Configuration & Browser Exam Key Calculation) Jun 14, 2024
dbuechel added a commit that referenced this issue Jun 14, 2024
@dbuechel
SEBWIN-899, SEBWIN-893, #883: Patch of version 3.7.0 which fixes conc…
35f144a 
…urrency issue with CK and BEK hash calculation.
@dbuechel
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Version 3.7.1 has been released: https://github.com/SafeExamBrowser/seb-win-refactoring/releases/tag/v3.7.1. We recommend updating as soon as possible.

Version 3.8.0 already contains the fix as mentioned above, its release date is currently scheduled for end of August of this year: https://github.com/SafeExamBrowser/seb-win-refactoring/milestone/12.

SEB 3.8.0 automation moved this from In progress to Done Jun 14, 2024
@robcreid
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We completed an exam this morning for 67 students using SEB 3.7.1 with no issues. Thanks for the quick resolution.

@steveorulez
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Thanks @dbuechel yesterday we asked all our students to update their SEB and we did 150 students with no issues (usually 1/3 is using windows).

The only issue we had so far is downgrading from 3.8 BETA to 3.7.1, they need to uninstall and reinstall but they don't know how to uninstall SEB :)

christian

@steveorulez
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Hello, we just had the same error on a 3.7.1 but not during the exam.

Yesterday the student did not insert he password to close SEB and this morning when he opened the PC he had the red screen to insert the password that crashed when clicked.

seb_error_371

@dbuechel
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Yesterday the student did not insert he password to close SEB and this morning when he opened the PC he had the red screen to insert the password that crashed when clicked.

That is most definitely another issue unrelated to this one. The message "Application Error: 'An unrecoverable error has occurred'" is a generic error message displayed whenever there is an irreversible issue in the client application component.

Please provide the log files of the affected session so that we can create another issue if necessary.

@moehzhaw
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moehzhaw commented Jul 1, 2024

We had this issue in May 2024 but, only in one distinct setting:

Moodle 4.2.7
with setting: Yes - Configure manually (There were no according reports with using a seb-config-file.)

exam with no digital ressources (e.g. websites) no third party applications
there was no exam

Behaviour according to the tutor:

  1. Students answer questions without incident.
  2. Students try to navigate from page 1 to page 2.
  3. error message: The error message "A fatal error has occurred!" appears when attempting to navigate. Please contact the application log for more information. SEB will now exit."
  4. user reaction: Students report the problem.
  5. Supervisor action: The supervisor clicks on "OK" to close the error message.
  6. system reaction: SEB closes automatically.
  7. restart: SEB is restarted.
  8. display: A red SEB screen appears.
  9. SEB security measure: The SEB exit password is requested.
  10. System behavior: Despite the error message, SEB is not closed but returns to the exam overview.
  11. continuation: The test password can be entered again.
  12. Result: The test is continued on page 2 without data loss.

I'll send some logfiles to Damian.
Unfortunately, I can't tell what SEB-Version the 10 students with this Problem were using. (But our recommandation at the time was Win-3.7.0 or macOS-3.2.0)

@dbuechel
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dbuechel commented Jul 2, 2024

@moehzhaw Yes, the logs do show the same issue. The solution is to update to the latest release version (currently 3.7.1).

@dbuechel dbuechel unpinned this issue Aug 5, 2024
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bug This issue describes a bug in the software.
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SEB 3.8.0
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@steveorulez @dbuechel @CesareTiba @robcreid @marcgei @moehzhaw @micimh @swz23 @katlee890