Krysten Maddocks
October 2, 2025

Since the rise of computer-based testing in the early 2000s, we’ve seen some significant shifts—remote proctoring, AI tools, and more sophisticated cheating methods. While cheating (pre-knowledge) and theft are two of the most popular ways bad actors breach test security, their methods continue to evolve.

In the past, credentialing programs often targeted cheating at the individual level. However, with remote proxy test-taking services growing into large businesses, organizations increasingly see more sophisticated cheating methods. Beyond candidates sharing questions and answers, organizations are seeing cheating practices that have become systemic, intentional, and powered by technology. For example, AI makes it easier and faster to share information. On the benefit side, AI also allows testing companies and credentialing experts to analyze massive amounts of data in real time. We can detect anomalies, monitor behaviors, and bring together data streams in ways we couldn’t before.

We need to rethink our approach to testing security, rather than just looking at past incidents. After all, security isn’t just about building a wall around the exam. It involves refreshing items, utilizing larger item pools, and varying security approaches that reduce the effectiveness of theft.

Here are some ways you can safeguard your credentialing assessment program.

Safeguard Item Development and Delivery

Keeping tests secure starts at the item development phase. To reduce test item exposure, rotate and refresh items frequently. If there are fewer forms, your risk of item exposure is higher. Many organizations refresh their item pools every 12–18 months, replacing a proportion of their operational test forms. Frequent item refreshes require a large item bank and a robust item development pipeline with ample statistics.

  • Grow your item pool and refresh exam forms more frequently. Tools such as item cloning and isomorphing, changing small aspects of the item to vary its content, or using Automated Item Generation can help you increase the size of your bank, and with more aggressive pretesting, can help you refresh your exam forms more frequently.
  • Using pool-based exam delivery approaches. Many credentialing organizations are using Linear-on-the-Fly Testing (LOFT) to allow them to have more content out in the field at one time. Alternatively, tools such as Strasz’s AI-enabled Automated Test Assembly (AiTA) can help you publish more forms more efficiently to limit the effects of stolen content.
  • Deliver exams through encrypted, secure platforms. Secure exam platforms protect test integrity through multiple safeguards. The tool you use should encrypt all data both in transit and at rest to prevent unauthorized access. Candidates should use a lockdown browser that blocks functions like copying or web browsing, while AI and live proctoring monitor behavior during the exam.

Engage in Robust Proctoring and Candidate Monitoring

Online remote proctoring can help you flag suspicious testing behavior immediately or shortly after a test session ends. Before the exam starts, systems should verify a test taker’s identity through ID checks, facial recognition, and multi-factor authentication. Testing systems should also lock down or monitor the candidate’s device, restricting access to external programs, internet browsers, or screen capture.

  • Online proctoring can further secure against cheating. Online proctoring could include live proctors, AI-assisted monitoring, or a hybrid model. Dual camera monitoring monitors test takers with two camera views instead of just one. This gives you a more comprehensive picture of the testing environment and reduces opportunities for cheating.
  • Human-in-the-Loop while using AI. While AI technologies can help flag potential candidate misconduct, technologies such as facial detection, facial recognition, eye movement tracking, and object detection are susceptible to errors due to candidates’ natural behaviors during an exam. AI can also have difficulty identifying with candidates of varied complexions, and even candidates who wear eyeglasses. However, AI technologies can give human proctors insights to make appropriate decisions with candidates.
  • Data Forensics. Data forensics is another input that can support remote proctors. As computing power has grown, real-time data forensics can provide additional information to proctors based on candidate response patterns, answer speed, and other common data forensic statistics. Each of these can alert proctors to potential proxy test takers or candidates with cheat sheets or pre-knowledge.

Strasz offers online dual-camera monitoring, thorough identification and security checks, and your choice of “Live” or “Record and Review” proctoring, and 24/7/365 test session availability.

Consider Data Forensics

If you’re concerned that your testing program has been breached in some way, the data can help you uncover more information. Statistical analysis can detect irregular score patterns and signal whether there’s a high probability that cheating has occurred. For example, are two or more test takers showing the same answer patterns? Statistical forensics often looks for unusual similarity indices, as well as unrealistic response times and wide score gaps.

Reinforce Ethical Standards Across the Testing Lifecycle

Strong policies and enforcement are essential to protecting exam integrity. Most agreements between credentialing organizations and candidates explicitly prohibit test takers from sharing or selling test content, setting clear expectations from the start. Take time to communicate the serious consequences of test misconduct to curb unethical behavior and reinforce the value and credibility of your credential.

Ongoing training and awareness play a critical role in maintaining test security.

  • Item authors and reviewers should work in item banking systems that offer several layers of security, working in the areas in which they have permissions. The tool you choose should have role-based permissions, version control, and audit trails that allow your organization to see when and where changes have been made, and by whom.
  • Test proctors and staff at the test centers or remote proctoring service that you use should receive regular training to help them recognize and respond to suspicious behaviors, ensuring potential risks are addressed quickly and consistently.
  • At the same time, it’s critical to continue to educate your candidates about ethical testing standards and the importance of program integrity. Give examples of unauthorized behavior, as well as the potential sanctions for candidates who violate them.

Take Your Certification Program to the Next Level with Strasz

Strasz Assessment Systems is the leading provider of products and customized solutions for exam and assessment development. We offer robust item banking, standard-setting, exam publishing, and test delivery solutions, including online proctoring and in-center testing at Pearson VUE with no annual minimums. By leveraging our world-class software development and testing expertise, Strasz can help certification programs continually improve how they measure performance.