The last five years have seen many changes in the certification industry. The expansion of online testing, the emerging yet increasingly crucial role of artificial intelligence (AI), and the use of ever more creative item types are just a few of these. 

Unfortunately, while industry leaders have pushed the boundaries of what is possible, so too have organized criminal groups bent on stealing and selling valuable intellectual property or orchestrating sophisticated proxy tests.  As veteran security insiders know, in 2026 exam sponsors and providers face a mature and sophisticated illicit industry devoted to helping errant candidates obtain unfair advantage on exams.
 
These threats call for a robust exam security framework to protect the integrity of exam programs.  In addition to vigilant and innovative security measures, securing an exam program also requires having a strong investigative capability to flag misconduct and then determine exactly what happened.  The evidence and intelligence derived from investigations must flow to stakeholders, enabling exam sponsors to make certification decisions and exam providers to bolster defenses based on our adversaries’ current capabilities.
  
The techniques used in these investigations must be flexible, adaptable, and ever evolving to address the threat.  This interactive workshop will examine the investigative techniques, tactics, and procedures being used in exam security investigations in 2026 and will include some interactive exercises, for example showing what proctors see and whether attendees can spot prohibited items or spot lookalike proxy testers.
This session is aimed at security practitioners, certification managers and other professionals involved in making the secure testing framework a success.  
Attendees will gain a knowledge of industry-leading best practices to allow them to build or bolster their own exam security programs.