Caveon Information Technology Solutions

Why do Information Technology (IT) companies offer certifications? Because they value the assurance that truly qualified individuals are selling and supporting their products. Specifically, IT companies depend on certifications to provide:

• Standards for job performance
• Objective criteria for job selection
• Increased sales and lower product support costs

However, unless certification test results provide valid and reliable measures of job-related skills and competencies, the hopes of certification sponsors may be frustrated.

Test fraud, or cheating and theft of test content, has a direct effect on whether or not IT companies realize their certification goals. Certification candidates ("candidates") who cheat not only undermine the validity of certification tests, they threaten the confidence in certifications necessary to make them useful tools for job selection, or to add value to the supply of IT products.

While cheating on IT certification tests can take many forms, Caveon would like you to consider the following:  

• Piracy of test content - candidates, or individuals posing as candidates, memorize or record test content for later distribution, most likely on the Internet. Cell phones, PDAs and other small electronic devices which are difficult to detect are often used to record test content.
• Prior access to test content - candidates anonymously buy or borrow test content on the Internet, memorize the information and use it without detection at a test site.
• Instructor inspiration - Instructors or test administrators provide direct coaching or "hints" regarding test content.
• Proxy testing - Individuals with expert knowledge of the test are hired by candidates to take a test on their behalf.

Although all forms of cheating undermine the goals of certification tests, the methods described above are unique in that they are, generally speaking, incapable of being detected during the administration of a test. To a proctor or security camera, a candidate who has purchased and memorized stolen test content is indistinguishable from an honest candidate.   

How Can Caveon Test Security Help?

Fortunately, behavioral models indicate that honest and dishonest examinees respond to tests differently. These differences can be detected through careful analysis of test-response data--Caveon's forte.

Caveon's Data Forensics(TM) and Web Patrol(TM), are a perfect complement to your test delivery provider's security precautions; pairing unrivaled physical test security with "virtual security" to ensure that every flavor of deception, old or new, is brought to your attention, and providing the additional assurance that the results of other tests are trustworthy.

For additional information please contact: jamie.mulkey@caveon.com
cyndy.fitzgerald@caveon.com
rob.pedigo@caveon.com

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