Security_matters - Pearson VUE

Security matters
There will always be a group of individuals who make increasingly
sophisticated attempts to cheat exams. Whether it’s to advance their own
career or to make money by assuming the identity of a registered candidate,
a minority pursue certification using unethical and illegal means.
It is for this reason why robust security measures are essential to
safeguarding the integrity of your programme and business.
Security focussed: Pearson
VUE’s Mark Poole
The three groups
Those who attempt to compromise certification exams can be split into three groups: proxy test
takers, item harvesters and cheaters.
Proxy test takers go to a test centre to sit an exam registered as another individual. An item harvester
is someone who takes an exam under their real name, but their sole intention is to steal intellectual
property. The worst offenders in this category are those working for black market test vendors or
other organisations who believe they can profit from stealing test questions. A less sinister item
harvester is someone who uses a brain dump site to prepare for the exam and returns to the site to
post several items that he/she remembers to "give back" to the group. Cheaters are individuals who
are not trying to profit by stealing intellectual property but are simply dishonest people willing to cheat
to pass an exam.
Data protection and security
Security begins with smart test design. You can take advantage of capabilities to deter item theft and

track exposure by using tools such as randomisation, complex item types and item masking. In addition
to sophisticated security measures, our infrastructure features strong encryption, item-at-a-time
presentation and an electronic audit trail to prevent exam fraud and data theft before, during and after
exam delivery.
Secure proctored delivery
Pearson Professionals Centres (PPCs) are built to a patented security design featuring the highest level
of security with the highest proctor-to-test-taker ratio in the industry. PPCs and many of our
authorised partners use digital audio and video surveillance to deter and record any misconduct during
the testing process. Real-time incident reports submitted by test centre proctors and customer service
personnel are automatically linked to test-takers’ individual records for prompt investigation and
escalation.
Global identity management
By enforcing your programme’s unique business rules and ensuring only properly identified test-takers
are able to sit for your exams, we protect your content and reduce the risk of fraud. A unique
scheduling and test centre check-in process automatically enforces your authorisation and retake rules
and ensures all required identification procedures are correctly followed.
Palm vein
Traditionally, computer-based testing centres have used photo-matching and digital fingerprinting to
determine candidate identity. At Pearson VUE, we’ve taken this one step further by using palm vein
recognition. The device captures and recognises the unique patterns in a candidate's palm veins using
non-intrusive, near-infrared scanning technology. New candidates are enrolled on the biometric system
during their first test centre admission. They are then automatically verified when taking and returning
from breaks. Palm vein recognition has proven secure, privacy friendly, fast and highly accurate. The
technology has replaced photo-matching and digital fingerprinting to become the most reliable
biometric technology for candidate identification.

Compliance management
The ability to successfully leverage business intelligence and enforce compliance can make a difference
to your entire programme. Our compliance management capabilities and optional forensic services
ensure you remain in control of test security. Our global security team continuously monitors testing
activity, evaluates risks, investigates potential irregularities and initiates corrective action when
required.
Despite the sophistication of our security measures, we also rely on our test centre staff to identify
issues and cases on attempted fraud. Earlier in the year, staff at one of our UK test centres caught
three candidates who were attempting to cheat an exam using Bluetooth devices. All three candidates
were using the devices to receive voiceovers and attempted to distract the invigilator by calling them
over. As the invigilator walked away from the test station, another member of staff observed the
candidates on camera and noticed them slipping the devices into their headset. Our teams around the
world share experiences such as these to ensure all regions are informed of the latest fraudulent
attempts and schemes. By using a combination of knowledge sharing, leading technology, vigilant and
regularly trained staff, we are able to maintain the world’s largest secure test centre network and,
crucially, protect the prestige and reputation of our clients.
Our knowledge and awareness of security is heightened by the clients we serve. We deliver a number
of security certification programmes on behalf of clients around the globe, such as Check Point, RSA
Security and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
Mark Poole, Product Strategist and Security Expert, Pearson VUE