Because my upcoming C++ test is hard I want to be able to alt tab into VSCode to test things. Obviously, safe exam browser doesn't let you do this. Any of you with first hand experience in getting around this? Hypothetically.

  • throwaway2 [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    I think they make you download some software to take their tests. I've done what you said now, will that mean I can just open a test straight up in firefox, and they'll think I'm using the software (and have gone through the process of PC lockdown, clearing clipboard etc)?
    EDIT: I ask specifically because, both in my modified firefox and in my chrome browser it looks the same and says "Your browser is accepted" all the same.

    • TheCaconym [any]
      ·
      3 years ago

      I’ve done what you said now, will that mean I can just open a test straight up in firefox, and they’ll think I’m using the software

      Possibly. I do not have their software to check, but say, for example, that their custom browser is wired to detect you're in a test, and then calls a webservice in the background every N seconds to confirm it. Your own traditional browser won't do that, which might trigger detection. It unlikely but who knows; only way to be sure would be to, for example, dump the network traffic of their custom browser while doing a test to make sure.

      That's why my first recommendation was to use a VM instead: it'll be much more certain this way.

      Edit: saw the article someone else posted and it seems that your changer the UA should be enough ? moreover, running it on a VM would involve hiding the fact it's a VM from the software - not really hard to do but more time consuming.

      • throwaway2 [he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Do you think there's plausable deniability with the user agent switcher? Like if a professor says I cheated, can I say "I don't know, I just started the program like I thought we were supposed to? I didn't make any changes"? On second thought, considering we're IT students, they can reasonably assume we're smart enough to install and cheat SEB.

        • TheCaconym [any]
          ·
          3 years ago

          I mean, they can hardly prove you did this after the fact, and their software could have bugs. In your shoes I'd still go the VM route just in case but I'm paranoid when it comes to opsec.