Step-by-Step Guide

How to create a secure online exam.

A countdown alone doesn't stop someone from looking answers up in another tab. Here's the full set of settings that actually make an online exam hard to game.

Build a Secure Test bolt See the Full Online Test Maker

The short answer

Turn on tab-switch detection, question and answer randomization, a strict time window, a single-attempt limit, and OTP identity verification — all in the settings step of the same online test maker you'd use to build any test. None of it requires a separate tool; it's a different pass through the same settings.

Locking it down.

Four settings, configured before you share the link.

1
Set a strict, single time window
Use one countdown for the whole exam, or a per-question limit if you specifically want to discourage looking answers up between questions.
2
Turn on shuffle
Randomizing question and answer order means the person next to a test-taker isn't looking at the same thing at the same time.
3
Lock it to a single attempt
Turn off multiple attempts so a finished submission can't be reopened or retried.
4
Require identity verification for real stakes
Turn on OTP email verification so a test-taker has to confirm a 6-digit code before starting, cutting down on fake or duplicate entries.

What each safeguard actually does

Safeguard	What it does
Tab-switch / window-blur detection	Flags when a test-taker leaves the exam screen during an active attempt
Question & answer randomization	No two test-takers see the same order, making it harder to copy from a neighbor
Timed windows	A strict countdown, per-exam or per-question, that closes the gap for looking answers up
Single-attempt lock	Prevents a finished submission from being reopened or retaken
OTP email verification	Confirms who's actually taking the exam before they can start

Security is layered, not a single switch

No single setting makes a remote exam cheat-proof — each one closes off a different, specific way of gaining an advantage. Tab-switch detection catches someone leaving the screen; it doesn't stop a second device sitting out of camera view. Randomization stops copying a neighbor's answers in order; it doesn't stop two people comparing notes over chat. Layering several safeguards raises the effort required enough to deter casual attempts, even though nothing here is a substitute for in-person proctoring when the stakes genuinely call for it.

All of it sits on top of AES-256 encryption in transit and at rest, with data-handling practices built around FERPA, GDPR, and SOC 2 Type II requirements. See the full security suite for the complete technical breakdown.

Have a printed backup ready

Master Paper exports the same exam as a with-answers, without-answers, or blank offline paper — useful if a device or connection fails on exam day.

See How to Print an Online Test

Securing an online exam, answered.

How do I make an online exam secure?expand_more

Turn on tab-switch and window-blur detection, randomize question and answer order, set a strict time window, limit it to a single attempt, and require OTP email verification if you need to confirm who's taking it.

Can it actually stop a student from cheating?expand_more

It makes it significantly harder, not impossible. Tab-switch detection flags leaving the screen, randomization stops easy copying between neighbors, and timed windows limit how long anyone has to look something up — but a remote, unsupervised exam always carries more risk than an in-person, proctored one.

What's the difference between tab-switch detection and window-blur detection?expand_more

Both flag a test-taker leaving the exam screen during an active attempt — for example, switching to another browser tab or bringing another application into focus — so you can review it afterward.

Should I require OTP verification for every exam?expand_more

It's most useful when the stakes are high enough that you need to confirm one real person took the exam under their own name — for a low-stakes practice run, it's usually unnecessary friction.

Is exam data encrypted?expand_more

Yes. Data is encrypted with AES-256 in transit and at rest, and data-handling practices are built around FERPA, GDPR, and SOC 2 Type II requirements.

What if the internet or a device fails during the exam?expand_more

Keep Master Paper's offline exam paper export as a printed backup — a blank layout test-takers can write on directly if you need a fallback that doesn't depend on a working connection.