Experience with 'Secure' Exam Testing Software?

Durindana writes "My law school has decided using the Exam4 software from Extegrity, thinking it would be a good idea. I disagree; the software can only be used by students on their own laptops, and (of course) Exam4 is mono-platform. Anyone have experience using this software (e.g. security level, reliability) or, hopefully, successfully opposing its use? It strikes me as a hell of a disadvantage to students who'd like an alternative to hand-writing but - for some strange reason - don't own a Windows laptop."

Comments

Anyone else see the irony?

[Kethinov]

Unless I'm missing something, this is hillarious. The way I read it, his law school is forcing everyone to get a Windows laptop to be able to run some exam software. The implications of this are fun to think about. For one, by forcing everyone on a single platform, the law school seems to be going against the Microsoft antitrust rulling. Secondly, doesn't using "exam software" on people's personal computers seem a little insecure? How long until someone brute forces all the multiple choice questions?

Re:Gak, you're posting the same crap

[Gzip Christ]

Perhaps that's the same policy that EVERYBODY HAS FOR EXAM4.

Whatever. Lest anybody believe this "anonymous" coward, just read the original poster's journal or look at his comment history. His posts are all either made up or copied from somebody else.

You can't trust the client

[Muggins the Mad]

As someone who also develops examination software, and who is doing academic research into computer security, I have to say that this is a ridiculous idea. Aside from requiring people to have specific hardware and purchase specific (pricey, but I guess they're law students...) software, the security issues here are horrendous.

The *only* ways to do this kind of thing is either have the software running on trusted hardware like a previously set up computer lab, or run the software on a trusted server and give the *untrusted* clients only a thin-client (citrix/ts/vnc/web browser). AND you have to have someone supervising them to make sure they've smuggled no notes in and aren't cut'n'pasting from another app.

Surely a law school, of all places, would have someone who knows a bit about information security on staff?

This software looks like exactly the kind of product developed by someone with no security training outside Microsofts VB tutorials.

Exactly the kind of software not to use for anything important - and Exams at Law School are important - there is a huge amount of money and future careers involved.

- Muggins the Mad

Re:Exam software??

[Sk0Rn]

lol, That's how we get 100 on every test in my IT class. The best part: We learned about net send from the class.