One size no longer fits all: Designing exam security around your programme
Author: Lesinda Leightley, Director of Business Development, PSI
Digital transformation has delivered huge gains for the assessment industry, from increased accessibility and convenience to faster results and deeper insights. But as we’ve expanded the benefits of technology, we’ve widened the threat surface. Today, the risks are growing more complex, with fraud tactics evolving as quickly as the systems designed to stop them.
For assessment organisations and their partners, this creates a critical challenge: how can we protect the integrity of our programmes in ways that are both rigorous and sustainable? The answer may lie not in one-size-fits-all security, but in custom solutions that align more closely with the distinct risks and realities of each assessment.
The limits of standardised security models
Traditional exam security has typically revolved around a fixed set of tools: lockdown browsers, identity verification, and some form of proctoring. These are still essential components, but on their own they’re no longer enough.
We’re now seeing a rise in organised cheating networks, content leaks circulating on the dark web, and increasingly sophisticated forms of identity fraud. Some tactics are highly localised, targeting specific geographies or delivery formats. Others are tech-enabled and global in scale.
Applying the same security controls uniformly across every programme and every exam session risks wasting resources where they’re not needed – and leaving gaps where stronger measures are required.
Why flexibility matters
Just as assessments are designed to measure different skills and serve different sectors, their security strategies need to reflect that diversity too. A global certification delivered remotely will likely require different safeguards than a government assessment delivered in person. One might need to prioritise facial spoofing detection and online behavioural analysis, while the other may benefit more from periodic test centre audits or risk-based test form design.
The key is adaptability. The ability to configure your exam security based on the nature of your assessment, the profile of your candidates, and the delivery modalities you use. This means moving away from rigid, bundled solutions and towards modular, flexible architectures that allow you to choose the tools that match your risk profile.
Empowering assessment organisations
It’s important to emphasise that this shift towards flexibility doesn’t mean AOs need to reinvent the wheel or outsource control. In fact, the opposite is true.
Modern security models are designed to support internal teams, not dilute or displace them. Whether it’s drawing on data forensics to better understand patterns in test performance, or commissioning a one-time audit following a suspected incident, these tools extend your capability without requiring a full delivery partner switch or wholesale operational change.
This is particularly valuable for teams with deep expertise in assessment design, for example, but limited access to investigative or forensic resources. With the right support, these gaps can be filled without compromising autonomy or adding unnecessary complexity.
Cost-effectiveness and risk prioritisation
One of the biggest misconceptions about enhanced security is that it always comes with a higher price tag. Custom exam security solutions can often be more cost-effective than static models because they allow you to deploy the right tools at the right time, rather than paying for a full suite of protections across every scenario.
For example, an AO might opt for dark web monitoring and forensic score analysis during high-volume testing windows, then scale back to lower-intensity monitoring during off-peak periods. Another organisation might request a standalone security briefing ahead of launching a new credential, without wanting an ongoing commitment.
This kind of targeted approach makes the best use of finite resources, ensuring that investment aligns with areas of highest risk.
Looking ahead: Agility as a strategic imperative
With the increasing use of generative AI and synthetic media, the threat landscape is set to change again. Fake IDs, impersonation, and sophisticated collusion strategies are already raising new questions about what secure testing looks like in 2025 and beyond.
If there’s one takeaway for AOs, it’s that agility matters. Static security models are not equipped to keep pace with dynamic threats. Building flexible, scalable security frameworks now means you’re better positioned to respond to what’s coming next.
New models like Test Security as a Service (TSaaS) have emerged to support this kind of flexible, modular strategy. Designed by PSI and ETS to work alongside existing delivery models without requiring a change in delivery provider, TSaaS offers services like targeted security audits, data forensics, dark web monitoring, and incident response support on a pay-for-what-you-need basis. It’s a model that reflects the way assessment bodies actually operate: diverse, evolving, and committed to protecting the value of their qualifications.
Designing security around your programme, not the other way around
There’s no one right way to secure an assessment, but there is a better way to think about it. One that puts the needs of your programme first and provides access to the tools and expertise that can make the most significant difference.
As the assessment sector continues to innovate, our approach to security must evolve with it. Custom, fit-for-purpose strategies are becoming essential to protecting integrity, trust, and long-term success.
For more information on building a tailored approach to exam security, visit www.psiexams.com.