Technology is evolving rapidly, and so are the ways it can be misused in assessment settings. Devices that appear ordinary or are easy to conceal can now create new risks for assessment security, making malpractice harder to detect and more challenging for Centres to manage. The white paper Devices of Deception, produced by VICTVS’ Assessment Security Research Group, highlights how wearable and covert technologies are becoming increasingly discreet, accessible, and capable of undermining assessment integrity.
This issue was brought into sharp focus when members of our Quality Assurance team recently attended the Gordon Associates AO-Forum, where Niamh Pierce, Head of Research at VICTVS, delivered a session entitled The Invisible Arsenal: High-Tech Malpractice. The session demonstrated just how far technology has advanced and how easily it can be used in ways that are not immediately obvious in an assessment environment. The wider message was clear: Centres need to remain alert and ensure their procedures continue to reflect current risks.
For Approved Centres, this matters because assessment integrity sits at the heart of quality assurance. As an awarding organisation, our mission is to provide Learners, Centres and Organisations with respected, valued, inclusive and quality assured qualifications and assessments. Emerging technology presents a growing challenge to that shared responsibility.
The VICTVS report highlights a range of devices that may be used to support malpractice, including covert earpieces, smart glasses, smartwatches, hidden cameras and modified everyday items such as pens. A key concern is that many of these technologies are designed to blend into normal day-to-day accessories or objects, making them much harder to identify through traditional checks alone. The report also notes that these devices can be most effective when used in combination, increasing the sophistication of attempted malpractice.
There is also a welfare consideration. The report references concerns around very small in-ear devices, including cases where removal has required medical attention. This means that some forms of malpractice may create not only an assessment security risk, but also a potential health and safety issue.
What Centres should be aware of
Approved Centres do not need to become technical experts, but they do need to ensure that procedures, staff awareness, and candidate expectations remain up to date. Centres should consider the following:
- Review permitted items guidance so it reflects current risks, not just traditional concerns such as mobile phones. The report shows that wearables and modified everyday items can also present a threat.
- Refresh invigilator and assessment staff awareness so colleagues know that malpractice may involve devices disguised as ordinary accessories or objects. The VICTVS report stresses the importance of updated procedures and continuous professional development for invigilators and proctors.
- Pay closer attention to eyewear, watches and pens where appropriate, while ensuring any checks are carried out sensitively, consistently and fairly. The report highlights that wearable technology is becoming increasingly discreet and more easily overlooked.
- Reinforce expectations with learners before assessments so candidates understand that the use of unauthorised technology is regarded as malpractice and may result in investigation and sanctions. FutureQuals publishes Centre-facing policies and procedures, including those relating to malpractice, maladministration and sanctions.
- Ensure there is a clear escalation process so staff know what to do if they identify or suspect the presence of an unauthorised device. Ofqual’s Conditions of Recognition explicitly reference risk and incident management, alongside malpractice and maladministration controls.
Our message to Approved Centres
Technology will continue to develop, and assessment security must develop with it. Centres do not need to respond with alarm, but they do need to respond with awareness, consistency and proportionate controls. The white paper concludes that regular updates to procedures, staff training and awareness of emerging risks are essential in maintaining secure and fair assessment environments.
By keeping arrangements under review and ensuring staff remain informed, Approved Centres can help protect learners, support fair outcomes and maintain confidence in the value of the qualifications we collectively deliver. This reflects not only good practice, but also the wider regulatory expectation that awarding organisations and Centres take a proactive approach to compliance and public confidence.
Useful links
- VICTVS White Paper: Devices of Deception – The Cheating Tools Undermining Assessment Integrity: https://assessmentsecurity.com/asrg-whitepaper-2-devices-of-deception/