Why has online exam cheating become a major concern in digital education?
Cheating in exams has been an issue for as long as structured pedagogy has existed. Students, whether under pressure to perform well or simply being dishonest, sometimes resort to unethical means to pass exams. For in-person education, there are a number of rigorous anti-cheating mechanisms that are commonly followed around the world.
However, with the rise of digital education, as well as remote learning and digitally administered exams, cheating has now become a major concern for educators once again.
How has the rise of online education increased cheating opportunities?
Online education offers students a convenient and flexible environment to learn in, as they can learn from the comfort of their own homes and, often, at their own pace. At the very core of cheating in online education is the fact that educators are unable to closely monitor students in online or remote settings.
This expansion and ease of access can sometimes motivate students to engage in dishonest behavior, where they might, for example, use online searches during an exam to answer questions; a course of action they could not take if they were in an exam hall, with a proctor walking up and down rows of exam-takers.
As a result, online assessments often operate on the honor system: educators acknowledge their limits in keeping an eye on students and ask that students maintain good, ethical conduct during the assessment.
However, this is not enough to deter students. As a result, there is an increased risk to the integrity of all online assessments.
Why is there an “arms race” between cheaters and proctoring systems?
Just as online and remote learning have become a modern necessity, so too have online assessments. They offer increased and broader access to education, a benefit most educators agree should not be downplayed. Additionally, online teaching helps to reduce costs for educational institutions.
Nevertheless, the risk of online cheating remains. Consequently, in response to changing times, there has been a growing demand for, and development of online exam and assessment proctoring systems.
However, this has not been enough to dissuade cheating. In fact, it has led to a sort of ongoing “arms race” between students who cheat and those who seek to prevent them from cheating. Makers of proctoring technology develop countermeasures against cheating in online exams, but students continue to devise new and creative methods.
How prevalent is online exam cheating?
According to a 2020 survey of 840 college students in the US by the International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI), 29% of students reported cheating on an exam, with 23% using an unauthorized electronic resource. These statistics are notable as 2020 was the first time that widespread remote learning had to be instituted in the US, just as in the rest of the world, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With an ever-growing focus on online education, there are widespread concerns about the reliability of remote student assessments, especially in secondary education and beyond.
10 Most Common ways for Students to Cheat in a Proctored Exam
Following are the 10 most common tactics used by students to cheat on a proctored exam:
- Unauthorized collaboration through in-person help, messaging apps, video calling, group chats, etc., during an exam
- Use of external devices
- Use of screen sharing and remote access tools
- Notes during online assessment
- Use of browser extensions
- Use of AI in online exams
- Impersonating/Proxy test-taking
- Use of virtual machines to bypass restrictions
- Leveraging camera blind spots
- Fabricating an internet disconnection or system crash
Let’s take a look at each of them.
1. Unauthorized collaboration through in-person help, messaging apps, video calling, group chats, etc., during an exam
Students are not allowed to work together or share answers during an exam. However, in an online exam, students can use their computers or other devices to their advantage to share their work. They can do this by:
Online proctored exams are often designed to be administered on laptops or desktop computers because these devices offer a higher level of computing power and configurability. Online proctoring focuses on creating locked-down exam environments on student devices, so they cannot use their devices for anything other than the exam unless they exit the exam, either prematurely or after finishing.
However, in the age of the internet-connected personal smartphone, this is not enough of a cheating deterrent in remote exams, as students can simply use their smartphones to message or even call others for help during their exams. Even in cases where different students receive different versions of the same exam, students could have group chats, wherein they could collaboratively solve their exams.
Since online proctoring cannot prevent anyone from being physically near a student, a cheating student could simply have someone sit next to them and help them during an exam.
2. Use of external devices
Just like with hidden notes, some students could use additional electronic devices to cheat. For most students, these devices are likely to be their smartphones or tablets. However, some students could also use wearable devices like smartwatches, as they are less likely to be suspected and can provide information more discreetly and enable communication between students.
3. Use of screen sharing and remote access tools
Another common cheating tactic is screen sharing. This is a method of getting outside assistance during an exam by having a hidden channel of support. The way it works is that an exam-taking student shares their screen with someone else, who then looks up answers to exam questions and shares them with the student.
4. Notes during online assessment
One of the oldest methods of cheating during an exam, still commonplace in the digital education ecosystem, is surreptitiously using notes or course material to come up with answers. Students can sneak in their notes and place them either behind their screen or write them on post-it notes.
5. Use of browser extensions
Some students could use an improperly secured proctored exam environment to their advantage through the use of internet browser extensions that bypass restrictions. Candidates can also open the exam in one browser tab and, in another tab, do Google searches or use AI.
6. Use of AI in online exams
Ever since the widespread adoption by students of AI-based platforms like ChatGPT, Copilot, Grok, and Claude, these AI tools are used more and more by students in every aspect of their education. This also includes cheating, where AI tools replace Google searches. As a cheating tactic, using AI might even be preferable for many to using Google, as the exam-taker can get direct and concise responses almost instantaneously from the AI platform of their choice, saving them crucial exam time.
7. Impersonating/Proxy test-taking
Since most online exams are administered remotely, students have to “log in” to an exam portal or some form of proctored exam system to participate in their assessment. It is not always easy to reliably establish the identity of the person who is taking the exam; more specifically, whether they are the person who is supposed to be taking the exam or someone else.
It is thus a common practice for online cheaters to employ impersonation as a cheating tactic. As part of this cheating method, the student hires/enlists another person to take the exam in their place. This can happen either with the imposter using the student’s own device and login information, or maybe even using a fake ID to log in to another student’s exam.
According to one report, as much as 25% of online cheaters use impersonation methods to cheat in exams. This form of cheating was especially common during COVID-19, during which cheating in online exams increased in general.
8. Use of virtual machines to bypass restrictions
As online exam monitoring becomes more sophisticated, so too do methods of bypassing it. One way a potential cheater could bypass a digital exam environment is by using a Virtual Machine (VM) on the device they use to take the exam.
A VM allows a user to install a computer operating system (such as Microsoft Windows) within an already installed operating system. This can allow a cheating student to bypass the proctoring software, which may not be set up to block VMs, but only applications like Microsoft Word or internet browsers like Google Chrome. Exam candidates using VMs could run multiple exam instances, allowing them to exit the exam environment without “quitting” the exam to search for answers online via their browser.
9. Leveraging camera blind spots
Some modern exam-proctoring environments use the cameras on exam candidates’ devices to monitor their behavior and detect any unethical activity. While this is a sophisticated method of preventing cheating, it could just as easily be duped with a completely unsophisticated method: placing cheating material (e.g., a second device, cheat-sheets, etc.) out of view of the camera, but in view of the exam candidate, or by refusing to turn on the camera, saying that the camera is malfunctioning.
10. Feigning internet disconnection or hardware crash
On the subject of excuses, candidates may also make excuses about poor internet connectivity and intentionally disconnect their devices from the internet, so they can momentarily avoid detection while they look at cheating material. The excuse could even extend to saying that their device crashed during the exam.
My Experience on Both Sides of the Proctored Exam
As a former educator and a test-taker, I have experienced proctored exams from both sides, and I can say firsthand that online testing has changed a lot.
When I was teaching, I used to tell my students that the exam system was locked down and that if they tried to leave the test page to search the web, I would know. Some of them did not believe me, and of course, a few would try it anyway. Sure enough, I would get an alert on my main system. Then I would have to walk over to their computer, restart the exam, and give them a warning. In a middle school or high school setting, that was usually how it went.
But high-stakes testing is a completely different situation. In college, professional programs, licensing exams, and other major testing environments, the consequences can be much more serious. A warning is not always the end of it.
I also got to experience online proctoring from the other side a few years ago when I took my last remotely proctored exam from home. I thought I was prepared. I was not.
I was surprised when I was told I had to disconnect my external monitors before the exam could even begin. Then I had to pick up my laptop and show the proctor the entire room, including under my desk. That was when I realized just how detailed these protocols had become. A practical tip: clean up your space before test day, because they may ask to see it all.
Then, during the exam, I started reading a question out loud to myself. Out of nowhere, I heard a voice in the room telling me not to read aloud. I had no idea that was a rule. It definitely caught me off guard. Another thing I did not love was being told I had to sit in a way that kept the door visible on camera, even though that was not how I would normally sit in that room.
I share all of this because online proctoring is only becoming more sophisticated. Schools, testing companies, and proctoring providers are constantly updating their technology and protocols to detect possible cheating. Even when students are given instructions ahead of time, the experience can still be surprising, stressful, and, in some cases, lead to serious accusations.
That is important to keep in mind, because even when information is shared in advance, misunderstandings and allegations still happen. At K Altman Law, we assist clients who have been accused of cheating proctored exams every day, and we understand just how significant those accusations can be.
Which proctoring solutions are used to detect and prevent online exam cheating?
Given the prevalence of cheating in online proctored exams, there has been a concerted effort to mitigate it. A number of modern innovations have been developed over the years to counter cheating tactics.
Identity verification
Given the risk of impersonation in a proctored exam, a key feature of many online proctoring systems is visual verification of the exam candidate. This can be tough:
- Facial recognition technology
- Scanning identification documents such as passports or driver’s licenses
- Knuckle scanning as an identity verification method
Locked-down browsers / proprietary and secure exam software
One of the most widespread methods of administering proctored online exams is through software. This software, which is often proprietary and made by a company that offers its services to educational institutions, can take the form of:
- A locked-down internet browser that permits the student to open only the browser tab containing the examination, restricts access to authorized websites only, and disables or limits browser extensions; or,
- The software could altogether create a secure desktop environment that has a pre-determined browser that opens to a pre-determined web address for the exam and does not allow any other application to be opened.
AI-powered monitoring
AI is the most immediate and ever-advancing innovation of our times. Its applications are continually being explored, with new uses being discovered by the day. One such use of AI is to monitor exams.
There are several ways AI can be used to monitor online exams.
Using AI object detection
AI can be used, in conjunction with a candidate’s on-device camera, for:
- Detecting external devices, like mobile phones
- Identifying prohibited objects within the student’s environment, like notes or cheat-sheets
AI-assisted behavioral analysis
To detect potential cheating, some proctoring systems have incorporated AI into their systems to catch suspicious behavior by:
- Monitoring eye movements
- Monitoring hand movements
- Identifying unusual candidate behavior patterns
Using AI to catch suspicious digital activity
Like AI-assisted behavior analysis, AI can also be utilized for:
- Analyzing typing patterns
- Tracking browsing behavior
- Flagging anomalies for review
Multi-camera systems for monitoring blind spots
When monitoring with only one camera, there is a high chance that an exam candidate will use obvious blind spots to circumvent anti-cheating monitoring. Dual-camera setups can help mitigate this and offer more comprehensive visibility of the exam candidate during the exam. These can be achieved through room scans using webcams and mobile devices, and with better ones, thereby also improving detection of hidden devices, notes, or accomplices.
Proctoring systems that can handle internet dropouts without losing oversight
Proctoring software can be designed in a way that some of its functionality happens on the student’s device, even without an internet connection. This can allow the software to continue functioning (e.g. by recording the candidates’ keystrokes, movements, camera feed, etc.) and then send data back to the proctoring service as soon as internet connectivity is restored. This allows:
- Continuous monitoring and recording through disconnections
- Timestamping possible infractions
- Preserving reviewable evidence for assessment organizers
Detecting virtual machine use
Since most proctoring software is bespoke and proprietary, it can also be designed to scan the exam candidate’s device and detect any VMs; if a VM is detected, the software halts access to the exam (without stopping the exam timer) or disqualifies the candidate’s exam altogether. This can help mitigate the use of VMs for cheating. Proctoring software can also:
- Scanning for other suspicious applications
- Check network configurations
- Notifying the assessment organizer if or when VM use is detected
Why does the human element still matter in online proctoring?
The “human-in-the-loop” approach in proctoring
With advances in technology, automation in general has reached new heights of sophistication. However, automated systems, even when powered with the latest AI models, are never fully effective in their function, as they can either over-correct for a programmed behavior or ignore it altogether.
For this reason, combining automated proctoring with human oversight can be the best overall approach to prevent cheating in online exams. This approach works by:
- Having human proctors review flagged violations, especially during an exam
- Confirming by way of human review whether AI-detected infractions are valid
Professional invigilators for secure exam delivery
Just as in-person exams inside large exam halls have people monitoring the actions and conduct of exam candidates, online exams can also benefit from having human monitors. The main benefits of such professionals on board for online exam proctoring are:
- Providing expert oversight
- Supporting smooth and controlled exam administration
- Strengthening trust in the exam process
Maintaining exam integrity without compromising fairness towards candidates
Balance between security measures and fairness
It is important to use tools and mechanisms that rigorously monitor online exams to prevent cheating and preserve the integrity of remote assessments. However, it is equally necessary that candidate’s privacy be respected.
Collection of biometric data (e.g., fingerprints, face scans, etc.), photographs or video recordings of the candidate’s environment should be regulated with the strictest privacy policy guidelines. This is vital to preserving trust in both the technology and the assessment process of online exams.
Policies for managing technical disruptions fairly
While there is always room for foul play, legitimate computer malfunctions are not outside the realm of possibility either. As such, there should be clear and properly communicated policies in place for every proctored exam system that:
- Acknowledge and address the possibility of computer freezes and crashes, and what to do when these occur
- Defining acceptable re-entry times after any technical interruption
- Clarifying how disruptions affect assessment decisions
Addressing the risks created by AI tools
The use of AI in academia has become a new frontier, whose limits are being tested every day. Students and educators alike are benefiting from using AI-based tools. However, there are legitimate downsides to relying on this emergent tech, especially considering the lack of knowledge as to how the use of these tools affects pedagogical outcomes in the long run. Moreover, the use of AI tools for unethical purposes, like cheating in proctored exams, is also flourishing.
For these reasons, educational institutions should consider:
- Blocking generative AI tools during exams
- Updating security measures to reflect modern cheating risks through AI use
What does the future of online exam integrity depend on?
Cheating is likely to remain an enduring challenge
In any field of life, trying to get ahead at all costs has always been a prime motivation for many people. In that sense, cheating is a persistent aspect of human behavior, one that has existed for millennia and may persist well into the future. For education, especially in the digital age, this puts continued pressure on institutions to adapt.
How effective are modern proctoring solutions against evolving cheating tactics?
Modern methods to prevent cheating are improving every day. At present, some of the most effective proctoring solutions can prevent or, in combination with appropriate policies, at least deter most tactics of online cheating through the use of smart technology. This is made possible by combining monitoring, identity verification, and review systems, thus supporting academic integrity in online assessments.
