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October 3, 2008
Cisco Test Forensics Explained
A few months ago, I posted on the new VUE Cisco text requirements that would be coming in 2008 to combat Certification fraud. These included:
-Thumbprint scanning
-Digital signatures
-Test forensics
The first two are obvious ways to prevent impostors from taking certification exams for you. However, this is nowhere NEAR as big of a problem as brain dumps / illegal "practice exams". This is the aim of the test forensics...but what does THAT mean? How can a certification exam tell if you're cheating?
Last month, Network World magazine posted a great article on the subject...and I quote:
The metrics (test forensics) reveal statistics such as how long it took the student to
answer each test item, which answers were changed during the test, and
how much time the student needed to complete the test. These metrics
are compared with a historical baseline value, and too much variation
raises a red flag. Before the student even walks out the door of the
test center, the test results can be called into question, triggering
further investigation.
Interesting...of course, I'm sure all the thoughts immediately go to the "false positive" world of real canidates being flagged incorrectly...but I would think these candidates would have nothing to fear anyway (they could handle an oral interview, or whatever follow-up there was)...What do you think?
PS - Vue said that 2008 would be a huge year for implementing these new security measures, but I have yet to thumbprint-scan or digitally sign for any exams...has anyone seen these new security measures???
Posted by JC at October 3, 2008 9:46 AM
Comments
I've never had fingerprint scanners, but I've started to have to digitally sign and get my picture taken when I take exams (most recently in September).
Posted by: Peter at October 3, 2008 12:47 PM
I work in IT at a .edu that is also a testing center. While we have known for a while that these requirements were going to be put in place, I'm fairly certain we're not doing any of them as of yet. I haven't taken a test there since March and neither of the first two were in place then.
I'm not sure what the deadlines are for implementation, but could probably find out if you really wanted to know.
Posted by: Jeremy L. Gaddis at October 3, 2008 1:29 PM
When I took my BSCI, the testing center I went to did a photo of me to turn in. It actually got printed on my score report. I took the BCMSN at a different testing center and they didn't do any of that, then I went back to the same center I took the BSCI exam at for my ISCW. They did signature and photo during that time. Never had to do a fingerprint scan though.
Posted by: Daniel S at October 3, 2008 3:35 PM
I just took my CCIE Voice written exam today and passed. This was the first time of all my Cisco exams that I experienced the mug shot.
Posted by: Joshua Walton at October 3, 2008 6:40 PM
hi JC
I prepared my CCNA through CBT of yours and passed CCNA with 881
I got a congratulations mail from Cisco
I registered in Certification tracking system and gave desired username and password.
But when i tryed to login, am unable to login
I clicked Forgot ID n Password, i recieved a mail with one link n one code
there i changed my username n password but still am unable to login.
Kindly sho me a solution for this....
Posted by: Shyam at October 4, 2008 3:08 AM
Hey, i dont know about the rest of the UK, but in London did my ISCW CCNP exam last month, they took a digital picture and digital signature, furthermore got end of exam print out score report with my picture too, nice
Posted by: Kam at October 4, 2008 6:12 AM
I've had my photo taken and supplied a digital signature for the last 2 exams I've taken. I'd never even thought that taking an exam by proxy was a problem before this, but I guess it makes sense.
To make brain dumps less effective you obviously have to write the exams in a way that makes answer memorization harder or less important. Two obvious ways of doing this are bigger question pools and more simulations.
Other ways would be to have questions with a couple of variables in them would produce a big range of answers. This would suit subnetting, ACL, which command type questions etc. Another would be to have lots of questions that read almost the same. Another would be to have the same 5 or so answers to choose from for multiple questions that read almost the same.
Anything that makes out right memorization less of a success factor and actually knowing the material more of a success factor. Just a couple of thoughts...
Posted by: Stu at October 4, 2008 6:26 PM
I've never had a picture taken but I have had testing centers be so picky about ID that they wouldn't take my military ID and gave me crap about the credit card I signed right in front of them. "This doesn't match the signature on your licence" Well, I didn't actually sign a piece of plastic with a ball point pen when I "signed" my licence.
On the other measures about how long it takes to take an exam, etc that's going to be tricky. When I took the CCIE written it went faster than when I took the BSCI over a year earlier. I knew what to expect from Cisco exams and how to prepare for them. By the time I got to the CCIE Written I'd been exposed to the material much longer. So if I finish a later exam too fast or didn't take as long to answer questions as I did before I cheated? It wasn't because the material was easier (BCMSN vs BSCI) or because I was better prepared? Seems like a slippery slope. The interview reveals all anyway so anyone preparing just for an exam will be exposed.
Posted by: Anonymous at October 5, 2008 8:14 PM
Hi Jeremy.
Interesting post on the forensics there.
I had to have a photo taken and digital signature when I recently sat the 640-802 CCNA in Cardiff, South Wales.
(I passed btw)
Posted by: David Jones at October 6, 2008 1:49 AM
Congrats David!
Funny - I just came into the office today and the VUE provider I work with was scrambling to put a digital signature pad in place...apparently the VUE deadline for this is tomorrow (at least here in AZ).
Posted by: JC at October 6, 2008 4:14 PM
So who exactly performs all the exam forensics?
Is it VUE themselves? Does it get flagged up when Cisco receive the results?
I was rather confused when I left the test centre; I got the score sheet, and obviously I was thrilled to see that I had passed, but then on the right hand column it mentioned that "these results were not official until they have been posted up on the website". So, that afternoon when I had got back to the office, I went to the VUE website, put my authentication number in, and sure enough it had said "passed". Strange feeling because I had only sat the exam less than 3 hours prior to this!
Ah well.
Posted by: David Jones at October 7, 2008 1:12 AM
Sup,
Wrote my last exam, on Friday... No picture taken, no signature pad. As for the forensic analysis, is this just Cisco marketing garbage, possibly. I mean sure I can see what they would like to achieve with it, and yes forensic analysis on exams is a great idea. Unfortunately what the analysis is and what they/we might want it to be, could be two different things. I'm sure most of us would agree if Cisco and other vendors want to do something about cheating, they need to have large pools of questions from which exams are generated dynamically (To combat brain dumps). As well as going after companies distributing brain dumps and shut them down!
I wonder if Cisco is not focusing too much effort in the wrong direction, I would presume guys cheating on exams using brain dumps would be the real threat.
--end of rant---
Posted by: zanetworking at October 7, 2008 4:25 AM
I have never cheated on any exam and have no intention to do it in the future. That said I refuse to be finger printed for a Cisco exam. Why does Cisco NEED my fingerprint? Why does Cisco NEED to keep it on file? It is totally unacceptable for them to require you to provide your fingerprint just to take one of their exams. This is something the police would do if you were arrested and booked -- Cisco is treating you all (and me) very poorly when this becomes a requirement. I am not willing to surrender possibly one of the only physical forms of identity proof just to stop some cheaters who will likely find a way around it by using pieces of silicone covering their finger tips anyhow.
I'm not paranoid about what they can do with it, I'm just saying there is no legitimate reason they need to print us and and keep it on file.
I hope it doesn't last long and they end up retracting it out of negative results.
Posted by: Mike at October 7, 2008 5:52 AM
I took the BCMSN yesterday and had picture taken as well as digital signature in AZ.
Posted by: RandyK at October 7, 2008 12:35 PM
I just took the CCENT in S. Calf. and they took my picture and digital signature. Don't remember them taking a thumb print.
Posted by: qtip at October 11, 2008 2:26 PM
Hi all,
well I am currently preparing for the CCNA
certification with the your(JC) CBT presentation package(of which I must really commend you for the
package.) I am confident going into the Exam as I
take them one video at a Time. I do think the measures introduced by cisco and VUE is a welcomed
Idea, and I support it 100% to preserve the value of the industry certifications, I do hope it is implemented soon. Thanks JC
PS: your videos have encouraged me to be as good
as you are even better.
Posted by: NerdX at November 20, 2008 1:26 AM
bad migraine
Posted by: imitrex at December 2, 2009 6:59 PM
Jeremy, I would like to thank you very much!
I watched your Cisco CCNA - Exam-Pack 640-816 ICND2 CBTs twice! and today passed Cisco ICND2 exam with a score 1000 poits out of 1000 answering all 41 guestions :) Now im CCNA!
Posted by: Soslan Lokhov at December 4, 2009 6:21 PM
+1
Posted by: flomax at December 14, 2009 12:29 PM
good going
Posted by: flomax at December 14, 2009 5:28 PM
aha
Posted by: modalert at December 15, 2009 11:40 PM
latisse does it
Posted by: latisse at January 24, 2010 8:05 AM