SEB 3.6.1 Blank Screen on launch (Chromium-helper)

[MMatCV]

There are a few reports from macOS users (Sequoia and newer) experiencing a blank screen when attempting to load the configuration file. Upon reviewing the log files, it appears that the Google Chrome Helper (essentially the Chromium helper) process gets stuck in a loop while SEB is trying to terminate it, preventing the session startup process from completing.

Here’s a sample log file (with PII redacted):
This user attempted to launch their exam using SEB version 3.6.1, 3.6.1 b2 3.5.4
SEB_log_redacted.log

[danschlet]

That has nothing to do with Chrome Helper, which isn't used by SEB. SEB is only terminating that process to avoid video/audio conferencing-tools to be running in the Chrome Browser during an exam.

Likely that issue has to do with some specifics of the website you're loading in SEB. If you can send me the config file you're using, I might be able to debug the issue. I need the admin and settings passwords (if used) to look at those settings or you can remove those passwords. You can use info at safeexambrowser . org to send it privately.

[danschlet]

Also it's important to know if the blank screen is displayed immediately in the browser window or only after clicking that "Start Validation" button? Does it happen for all macOS users or only a few? Can you figure out what might the similarity between those users this happens to?

[MMatCV]

Hello danschlet!

The blank (white) screen appears after pressing the Start Validation button and has been reported by a few macOS users. Based on the remote troubleshooting sessions conducted so far, the exact root cause hasn’t been fully isolated.

In some cases, the issue was resolved by:

Disabling any active VPN running in the background/Switching to another network
Turning off Chrome’s hardware acceleration setting

[danschlet]

I just tried to open that URL in Safari and after clicking START VALIDATION first some animated logo is displayed, then a status message at the bottom of the page "Redirecting" and then just a blank page. On a Chromium-based browser, it works.

That likely means the web application is not properly compatible with the WebKit browser engine. SEB for macOS and iOS uses WebKit, not the Chromium browser engine. Web developers which want to use their websites/web applications with SEB for macOS/iOS have to make sure it works with Safari.

[MMatCV]

What makes this particularly interesting is that the issue only affects a subset of macOS devices. Other users are able to run the web application without any issues, even on the same macOS version or in a very similar environment.

[danschlet]

Btw. unfortunately web-rendering and Javascript errors are usually not listed in SEB's logs, but only in the web console (WebInspector), which has to be activated with specific SEB settings.

[danschlet]

There's definitely something seriously wrong with this certiverse.com validation page when used on a WebKit-based browser, as it doesn't work correctly with Safari, at least on some machines (like mine). After the blank page is displayed in Safari, the same start URL cannot be loaded at all in Safari, even after restarting Safari. But when opening a new, private browser window/tab, it again loads and displays the blank page after clicking Start Validation. So it looks that web app saves some cookies or local data which prevent it to load the next time it's invoked.

Again, when the web app doesn't even work with a standard Safari (I'm not using any VPN or ad blockers), then it's not properly compatible. My experience is, that nowadays many web developers don't care about compatibility with WebKit and Firefox and just test their stuff with Chrome-based browsers.

[MMatCV]

Hello Daniel,
Could you please try launching the following configuration file?
https://certiverse.com/#/compatibility/LiveSEB