Caveon analysis included more than 100 remote and in-person exam administrations in the U.S. for professional certification and licensure exams

Caveon, the leading exam security provider in high-stakes testing, announces exam proctors missed 90% of cheating attempts for both remote and in-person tests, according to a recently completed study that spanned more than one year. According to data collected by Caveon’s undercover test takers (“Secret Shoppers”), more than 90% of scripted cheating and theft tasks were completed without detection by proctors. What’s more, when violations were noticed, proctors overwhelmingly issued a verbal warning and allowed testing to continue.

“Our clients hire us to stress-test their own exams, and what we’ve found is that relying primarily on proctoring does not meaningfully secure exams, particularly at scale,” said Steve Addicott, Chief Operating Officer at Caveon. “Technology has made keeping tests fair and free of cheating more complex, but our findings also show that cheating is happening in lower-tech ways. What’s more, our test-taking task force was able to easily capture photos of test questions, undetected, the vast majority of the time.”

At the request of testing program clients, Caveon-trained Secret Shoppers collected the data by registering for legitimate client exam sessions and engaging in testing activities as ordinary candidates while attempting common rule violations, such as accessing notes, using phones, concealing prohibited items, or leaving the camera view. Secret Shoppers documented whether these actions were detected and what responses, if any, were taken by proctors. The results of Secret Shopper experiences during exam administrations were then shared with client programs that engaged Caveon to provide the service.

Key Findings Across Exam Administration Modes

Across both remote and in-person exam administration modes, Caveon’s findings were consistent:

• More than 90% of scripted cheating and theft tasks were completed with no detection
• When violations were noticed, proctors most often issued a verbal warning and allowed testing to continue

Test-Center Live Exam Penetration Testing

• 97% of undercover test-takers carried printed notes or other prohibited materials through check-in
• 100% of those who brought in notes or other prohibited printed materials accessed those notes during the exam without being stopped
• 52% were able to enter the testing room with at least one phone
• Among those who entered the testing room with a concealed phone, 85% used it to photograph exam items, and only 18% were caught, always after the photos were taken

Remote Testing Live Exam Penetration Testing

• 91% kept printed notes within reach and used them unnoticed
• Every Secret Shopper had a phone nearby; just over half used it
• Among those who used a phone, 96% captured photos undetected
• 60% completed the exam with another person present in the room
• 31% left camera view for an unauthorized break and returned without challenge

The results emphasize a fundamental limitation of surveillance-based testing models: proctoring alone cannot scale to reliably detect modern forms of misconduct. In response, Caveon has shifted toward a signal-driven approach to exam administration monitoring that emphasizes evidence over constant observation. Its Observer platform incorporates advanced AI and machine learning technology with real-time analytics to surface meaningful risk indicators and trigger targeted human review only when predefined thresholds are exceeded. When paired with Caveon’s Scorpion test development and delivery platform, which offers secure exam design tools, such as the dynamic SmartItem^® and randomly parallel tests, the Observer model addresses both visible and invisible forms of test fraud that traditional proctoring cannot detect.

“Proctoring was never designed to carry the full weight of exam security,” said David Foster, Founder and CEO of Caveon. “When programs rely on observation alone, they create blind spots that undermine validity. Protecting exam outcomes requires systems that generate evidence, scale reliably, and enhance human judgment rather than replace it.”

As high-stakes exams increasingly determine access to education, licensure, and professional opportunity, weaknesses in exam security carry significant downstream consequences. Compromised scores, stolen test content, and delayed invalidations can erode trust and impose significant operational and reputational costs on testing programs. Caveon’s findings reinforce the need for modernized, system-level approaches to exam integrity.

Learn more about Caveon Observer here.

About Caveon

For more than 20 years, Caveon Test Security has driven the discussion and practice of exam security in the testing industry. Today, as the recognized leader in the field, Caveon has expanded its offerings to encompass innovative solutions and technologies that provide comprehensive protection: Solutions designed to detect, deter, and even prevent test fraud.

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