View source for Security:Data-loss

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This page forms part of the [[Security|Moodle security guidelines]].

==What is the danger?==

This is more a symptom or other vulnerabilities, than a vulnerability in its own right.

For example, Evil Hacker can use cross-site request forgery or SQL injection to maliciously destroy lots of your data. Or the fact that someone has permission to destroy a lot of data may indicate that the code is not performing sufficient authorisation checks.

However, it is also possible for users to accidentally destroy lots of data if the user-interface is badly designed and confusing.


==How Moodle avoids this problem==

We write secure code so that data cannot be destroyed maliciously.

We try to design clear interfaces, so that users understand the effects of their actions.


==What you need to do in your code==

* Actions that destroy a significant amount of data should have a confirmation step.
** Capabilities that let people destroy a lot of information should have RISK_DATALOSS.
* Follow the guidelines for avoiding
** [[Security:Unauthorised access|Unauthorised access]]
** [[Security:Cross-site_request_forgery|Cross-site request forgery]] (XSRF)
** [[Security:SQL injection|SQL injection]]
** [[Security:Command-line injection|Command-line injection]]
** and so on.
 

==What you need to do as an administrator==

* Be careful!


==See also==

* [[Security]]
* [[Coding]]

[[Category:Security]]