Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle)

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle) is an open source Learning Management System for electronic learning (eLearning) developed to help educators create online courses with a focus on interaction and collaborative construction of content. This entry covers the Desktop Edition of this technology and not any mobile versions. Please note that the implementation of mobile technology applications that operate on Mobile Operating Systems must be reviewed and approved by the Mobile Technology and Endpoint Security Engineering Team: http://vaww.eie.va.gov/SysDesign/CS/MT/default.aspx The TRM decisions in this entry only apply to technologies and versions owned, operated, managed, patched, and version-controlled by VA. This includes technologies deployed as software installations on VMs within VA-controlled cloud environments (e.g. VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC)). Cloud services provided by the VAEC, which are listed in the VAEC Service Catalog, and those controlled and managed by an external Cloud Service Provider (i.e. SaaS) are not in the purview of the TRM. For more information on the use of cloud services and cloud-based products within VA, including VA private clouds, please see the Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office (ECSO) Portal at: https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OITECSO
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:	This technology has been assessed by the Section 508 Office and found non-conformant. The Implementer of this technology has the responsibility to ensure the version deployed is 508-compliant. Section 508 compliance may be reviewed by the Section 508 Office and appropriate remedial action required if necessary. For additional information or assistance regarding Section 508, please contact the Section 508 Office at Section508@va.gov. Please see reference tab for more information concerning product versions.
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v23.7
Decision Date:	07/05/2023 at 14:12:01 UTC
Aliases:	Learning Management System (LMS); eLearning
Introduced By:	TRM Request
Vendor Name:	Moodle Pty Ltd

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Technology, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date
2.6.x	11/18/2013	05/31/2015
2.7.x	05/12/2014	05/31/2017
2.8.x	03/10/2015	05/31/2016
2.9.x	04/27/2015	11/30/2016
3.0.x	11/16/2015	05/31/2017
3.1.x	05/23/2016	05/31/2019
3.2.x	12/05/2016	05/31/2018
3.4.x	11/13/2017
3.5.x	05/17/2018
3.6.x	12/05/2018
3.7.x	05/20/2019
3.8.x	11/14/2019
3.9.x	06/15/2020	05/10/2021
3.10.x	11/09/2020	11/08/2021
3.11.x	05/17/2021	05/09/2022
4.x

Current Decision Matrix (06/30/2023)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VA IT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported. Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered unapproved for use.

Legend:

White	Approved: The technology/standard has been approved for use.
Yellow	Approved w/Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Unapproved: This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Divest: VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unapproved may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Prohibited: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Planning/Evaluation Constraint:The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology approved with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

<Past

CY2017

CY2018

CY2019

Future>

Release

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2.6.x

Divest
[3, 5, 8, 9, 10]

Unapproved

2.7.x

Divest
[3, 5, 8, 9, 10]

Unapproved

2.8.x

Divest
[3, 5, 8, 9, 10]

Unapproved

2.9.x

Divest
[3, 5, 8, 9, 10]

Unapproved

3.0.x

Divest
[3, 5, 8, 9, 10]

Divest
[5, 8, 9, 11, 12]

Unapproved

3.1.x

Approved w/Constraints
[3, 5, 8, 9, 10]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 8, 9, 11, 12]

Divest
[5, 9, 11, 13, 14]

Divest
[5, 9, 11, 14, 15]

Unapproved

3.2.x

Approved w/Constraints
[3, 5, 8, 9, 10]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 8, 9, 11, 12]

Divest
[5, 9, 11, 13, 14]

Divest
[5, 9, 11, 14, 15]

Unapproved

3.4.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 9, 11, 13, 14]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 9, 11, 14, 15]

Divest
[5, 9, 11, 14, 15]

Unapproved

3.5.x

Unapproved

Divest
[5, 9, 11, 14, 15]

Unapproved

3.6.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 9, 11, 14, 15]

Divest
[5, 9, 11, 14, 16]

3.7.x

Unapproved

3.8.x

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 9, 11, 14, 16]

3.9.x

Unapproved

3.10.x

Unapproved

3.11.x

Unapproved

4.x

Unapproved

Decision Constraints


[1]	Product must remain properly patched in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities. The latest available stable version of this software should be used. As per VA Enterprise Security Solutions Service, the product must be configured to use SSL/TLS and leverage Active Directory for authentication when deployed within the VA Intranet. Public cloud features of this software may not be used without Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) review and approval to ensure that confidential organization and/or PII/PHI data are not compromised. Use of public cloud storage requires documented Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) compliance and/or a Memorandum of Understanding / Interconnection Security Agreement (MOU/ISA) between the vendor and VA prior to ESCCB review.

[2]	The latest available stable version of this software should be used. As per VA Enterprise Security Solutions Service, product must be configured to use SSL/TLS and leverage Active Directory for authentication when deployed within the VA Intranet. Public cloud features of this software may not be used without Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) review and approval to ensure that confidential organization and/or PII/PHI data are not compromised. Use of public cloud storage requires documented Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) compliance and/or a Memorandum of Understanding / Interconnection Security Agreement (MOU/ISA) between the vendor and VA prior to ESCCB review.

[3]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[4]	Technology must remain patched and operated in accordance with Federal and Department security policies and guidelines in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities.

[5]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Office (ISO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[6]	As of April 23, 2015, per the Deputy CIO of Architecture, Strategy and Design (ASD), all technologies in use by the VA require an assessment by the VA Section 508 office. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 is a federal law that sets the guidelines for technology accessibility. A VA Section 508 assessment of this technology has not been completed at the time of publication. Therefore, as of April 23, 2015 only users of this technology who have deployed the technology to the production environment, or have project design and implementation plans approved, may continue to operate this technology. In the case of a project that has implemented, or been approved for a specific site or number of users, and that project needs to expand operations to other sites or to an increased user base, it may do so as long as the project stays on the existing version of the technology that was approved or implemented as of April 22, 2015. Use of this technology in all other cases is prohibited.

[7]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based versions of this product are not permitted without a waiver signed by the Deputy CIO of ASD based upon a recommendation from the Architecture and Engineering Review Board (AERB). In addition, cloud based features of this software may not be used without an Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) approval to ensure that confidential organization and/or PII/PHI data are not compromised (ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517 and VA Directive 6513). Use of public cloud storage requires documented Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) compliance and a Memorandum of Understanding / Interconnection Security Agreement (MOU/ISA) between the vendor and VA prior to ESCCB review.

[8]	Enterprise Security Solutions Services (ESSS) conducted a pre-assessment and security requirements verification of Moodle v3.1. If this product is used within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the following constraints must be applied: The application does not use FIPS 140-2 validated encryption; it should never be used to process Protected Health Information (PHI) or Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Ensure to install Moodle version 3.1 or the latest stable version. Also it should be included in the applications under continuous monitoring for newly discovered vulnerabilities disclosed by the vendors and Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) sites. Moodle must be configured to use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) / Transport Layer Security (TLS). Moodle must be configured to leverage Active Directory for authentication when deployed within the VA intranet. The application must be hosted internally on VA owned and controlled equipment. If an external connection is required for Moodle hosting, the following documents must be in place before the connection can be approved: 1) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU); 2) Interconnection Security Agreement (ISA); 3) Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) shall be consulted when leveraging an external cloud provider to identify the requirements for security controls and provide guidance for assessing risk as stated in the VA Handbook 6517, Cloud Computing Services. Use only vendor supported, VA approved, hardened database applications with Moodle. Use only vendor supported, VA approved, hardened versions of Apache and PHP.

[9]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISO can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[10]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based technologies may not be used without an Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) approval. This body is in part responsible for ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[11]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[12]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based technologies may not be used without the approval of the VA Enterprise Cloud Services (ECS) Group. This body is in part responsible for ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[13]	Enterprise Security Solutions Services (ESSS) conducted a pre-assessment and security requirements verification of Moodle v3.1. If this product is used within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the following constraints must be applied: The application does not use FIPS 140-2 validated encryption; it should never be used to process Protected Health Information (PHI) or Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Ensure to install the latest stable version of Moodle. Also it should be included in the applications under continuous monitoring for newly discovered vulnerabilities disclosed by the vendors and Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) sites. Moodle must be configured to use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) / Transport Layer Security (TLS). Moodle must be configured to leverage Active Directory for authentication when deployed within the VA intranet. The application must be hosted internally on VA owned and controlled equipment. If an external connection is required for Moodle hosting, the following documents must be in place before the connection can be approved: 1) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU); 2) Interconnection Security Agreement (ISA); 3) Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) shall be consulted when leveraging an external cloud provider to identify the requirements for security controls and provide guidance for assessing risk as stated in the VA Handbook 6517, Cloud Computing Services. Use only vendor supported, VA approved, hardened database applications with Moodle. Use only vendor supported, VA approved, hardened versions of Apache and PHP.

[14]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based technologies may not be used without the approval of the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO). This body is in part responsible for ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[15]	This product can be configured with a MySQL Database, which currently has TRM constraints for intranet use only due to its many known security issues. If MySQL is selected for use with this product, these factors must be considered especially when an instance of this product will be considered a Moderate or High Risk system (Refer to MySQL Database TRM entry for more details).

[16]	This product can be configured with a MySQL Database which currently has TRM constraints for intranet use only due to its many known security issues. If MySQL is selected for use with this product, these factors should be considered especially when an instance of this product will be considered a Moderate or High Risk system. See the MySQL Database TRM entry for more details. Users must ensure that Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server, Oracle Database, and PostgreSQL are implemented with VA-approved baselines. (refer to the ‘Category’ tab under ‘Runtime Dependencies’)

Note:

At the time of writing version 4.2 is the most current version and was released on 24 April 2023

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Source	Description
Vendor Provided*	Release Notes		Release Notes
*NOTE: Vendor provided information is subject to the accuracy of the manufacturer.

Technology Components

Note: This list may not be complete. No component, listed or unlisted, may be used outside of the technology in which it is released. The usage decision for a component is found in the Decision and Decision Constraints.
Name	Description
No components have been identified for this entry.

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Domain Area	Category	Customer Guidance	Category Locked By ELT Date
Collaboration and Electronic Workplace Collaboration Software	Computer Based Training (CBT)

Open Source

This entry is available as an open source technology.

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

macOS - Approved w/Constraints
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Server - Approved w/Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This is a mature technology.
This technology is available at no cost through open source licensing and supports VA`s open source initiative.
This is a well-documented technology.

Adoption Risks

Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions.
This product can be configured with a PostgreSQL Database, which currently has TRM constraints limiting its use to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) only due to its many known security issues on other platforms.
There are known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and VA Network & Security Operations Center (NSOC) vulnerabilities. NVD - Results (nist.gov)
The potential exists to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI) and/or VA Sensitive data and proper security standards must be followed in these cases.
Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions.
Other approved solutions that provide similar functionality are available on the TRM. The use of several similar solutions may increase organization requirements for support and maintenance.

Architectural Benefits

This technology is portable as it runs on multiple TRM-approved operating systems.
This technology uses Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) Server, a VA-preferred database.

Architectural Risks

This technology includes cloud-based functionality which has potential information security risks.

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General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (06/30/2023)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Open Source

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.7

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (06/30/2023)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Open Source

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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