Exam security unlocked:
Lockdown browsers are a solution, but not the only solution
You might be surprised to hear that Caveon does not offer a lockdown browser as part of our technology-based security solutions. Why don’t we provide lockdown browsers? What do we recommend instead?
Read on to enjoy a candid exploration of both the merits and limitations of lockdown browsers, while learning the alternative approach that we at Caveon often recommend to our clients
Having experience in both administering these assessments and also leading the office in charge of the development of high-stakes, large-scale assessments, I know the importance of following guidelines when administering statewide assessments in a K-12 setting. Test administration guidelines ensure the test-taking experience remains congruent for all examinees, despite the fact that test takers will be taking tests at different sites, on different dates, with different proctors, and under different conditions.
Weighing the benefits and drawbacks
Lockdown browsers, while they enhance exam security, are accompanied by certain drawbacks. They are not a security panacea, and there are many security threats they do not address. Additionally, they often have a negative impact on user (examinee) experience and accessibility.
So, while we encourage the use of lockdown browsers in appropriate situations, we also want to emphasize that there are now alternate security measures available that can achieve many of the same benefits as a lockdown browser while eliminating several of these drawbacks.
One of the primary benefits of lockdown browsers is their ability to restrict access to external websites and applications, thereby mitigating the risk of cheating and accessing unauthorized assistance during exam sessions. This is an important aspect of exam security. We cannot simply allow test takers to look up answers during their test session, and lockdown browsers prevent that. Furthermore, lockdown browsers can simplify the proctoring process by minimizing the need for manual monitoring and intervention, allowing exam administrators to focus their attention on other aspects of exam administration.
So, while we encourage the use of lockdown browsers in appropriate situations, we also want to emphasize that there are now alternate security measures available that can achieve many of the same benefits as a lockdown browser while eliminating several of these drawbacks.
While lockdown browsers offer protection against the above-mentioned threats, they are not without their own set of drawbacks and inconveniences:
- Inconvenience for Test Takers: Lockdown browsers require that an examinee download and install the lockdown software onto their device, an act that is both inconvenient, worrisome, and often frustrating to the examinee.
- Installation Restrictions: Some IT departments may prohibit the installation of additional software, including lockdown browsers, on exam-taker devices, thereby limiting their accessibility and effectiveness.
- Privacy Concerns: Lockdown browsers may raise privacy concerns among exam-takers, as they often require extensive permissions and access to personal data to function properly.
- Compatibility Issues: Lockdown browsers may not be compatible with certain operating systems or devices, leading to compatibility issues and potential disruptions during exam sessions.
- Potential for Spyware: Due to the need for extensive permissions and access to device resources, lockdown browsers may inadvertently expose exam-taker devices to spyware or other malicious software.
- Limitation of Accessibility Features: Lockdown browsers may inhibit the use of accessibility features such as screen readers, making it difficult or impossible for students with disabilities to access exam content.
- Restriction of Multi-Window Test Sessions: Lockdown browsers typically restrict users from opening multiple windows or tabs, limiting their ability to reference additional resources that may be permitted during an exam.
- False Sense of Security: Despite their intended purpose, lockdown browsers may give institutions and exam administrators a false sense of security, leading to complacency and overlooking other (often more serious) security threats.
There are certainly important benefits of lockdown browsers, but like all solutions, they are also accompanied by corresponding drawbacks. Do these advantages of a lockdown browser outweigh the disadvantages? In the past, our answer may have been yes—however, at Caveon, our mission implores us to ask a different question: Are there now other, better ways to achieve the same benefits provided by a lockdown browser?
An Alternate Approach to Lockdown Browsers
Suspicious Browser Monitoring
Instead of utilizing a lockdown browser, Caveon’s test development and delivery technology, Scorpion™, is built with “Suspicious Browser Monitoring,” a feature that detects suspicious browser activity during an exam.
This Suspicious Browser Monitoring detects when an examinee accesses a new browser tab or opens a new window, navigates away from the exam, presses common screenshot keys (accompanied with a screen block and warning message), prevents text highlighting, and other suspicious activities—all things monitored by a lockdown browser—and then promptly logs the incident, pauses the exam, and alerts proctors or administrators.
While the examinee is technically able to access another window or perform these actions, they are not able to do it without alerting the proctor or exam administrator, who can then take the appropriate action. This approach provides a comparable level of security to lockdown browsers without imposing the same constraints on test takers.
By eschewing lockdown browsers in favor of Suspicious Browser Monitoring in Scorpion, we attempt to address some of the shortcomings of traditional lockdown browsers. Our technology not only detects suspicious browser activity regardless of what system command is directing it, but it also mitigates the inconveniences associated with lockdown browsers. Test takers can navigate freely within the exam environment, but exam sponsors and programs can be confident that their actions are being monitored effectively.
BEYOND BROWSERS
Neither a Lockdown Browser nor Scorpion’s Suspicious Browser Monitoring is A Security Panacea
It is essential to recognize that neither Scorpion’s browser activity detection nor lockdown browsers offer a foolproof solution to exam security challenges. Both serve as valuable security supports but should not be viewed as a one-stop security solution, as neither of them can effectively address many of the most common and pernicious cheating threats. They are simply one part of an effective security solution.
Here are just a few of the security threats lockdown browsers and Scorpion’s Suspicious Browser Monitoring cannot catch:
- Cheating using external devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, or hidden earpieces.
- Accessing exam content or answers through unauthorized means before the exam (Pre-knowledge)
- Taking a photo of a question and having AI answer it
- Collaboration with others in person or via communication tools outside the exam environment.
- Consulting physical materials such as textbooks, notes, or cheat sheets.
- Employing cheating methods such as hiring proxy test-takers or using impersonation tactics.
- Exploiting vulnerabilities in the exam platform or network to gain unauthorized access to resources or information.
Neither lockdown browsers nor Scorpion’s Suspicious Browser Monitoring are able to stop or detect these other very effective, and very common, forms of cheating. (And they certainly don’t stop people from stealing and sharing the exam content online or with others.) Additional security measures such as secure exam design, Web Patrol®, data forensics, and others are necessary to stop these security threats.
Not necessarily. A lockdown browser serves an important security function, but we want to emphasize that there are better ways to get similar security benefits and functionality, as evidenced by Scorpion’s Suspicious Browser Monitoring. However, in scenarios where implementing Scorpion or technologies that provide similar benefits with a better user experience are not feasible, a lockdown browser offers a level of protection against certain forms of cheating and unauthorized activity during exams and should be utilized judiciously and complemented with other security measures to ensure comprehensive exam security.
Conclusion
At Caveon, our thoughts on lockdown browsers stem from our dedication to providing the most effective and user-friendly exam security solutions. We recognize the value that lockdown browsers can offer in certain situations, but we believe that there are now new alternatives that address many of their limitations while enhancing the overall user experience.
As the field of exam security continues to evolve, Caveon remains committed to developing and implementing innovative strategies that ensure the integrity and fairness of assessments. By combining advanced technology with a comprehensive approach to security, we aim to support our clients and our industry in maintaining and promoting the highest standards of exam integrity.
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