Moodle takes security extremely seriously, and any potential issues are given the highest priority. Fixed vulnerabilities of serious issues usually trigger the release of minor versions, which emphasize the importance of the subject.
The security of a system is as good as its weakest link. Moodle relies on underlying software, hardware, and network infrastructure; security can potentially be compromised in a number of areas. As the focus of this book is on Moodle and its administration thereof, we only cover the security elements of Moodle per se. The following areas are not dealt with, and it is necessary to consult the respective documentation on security issues:
Software: As described in Chapter 2, The Moodle System, Moodle's key components comprise a web server (usually Apache or Microsoft IIS), database server (MySQL, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, or Oracle), and a programming language (PHP). Additional PHP and operating system extensions are required, for...