Privacy & Security Update

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, online proctoring has seen significant growth in both interest and usage as higher education institutions and other testing providers navigate the shift to remote learning. As often happens during times of significant change, this increase has led to a lack of clarity about how online proctoring works, the information that is collected, and which security protocols are followed. This has caused the marketplace to become flooded with incomplete and, in many cases, incorrect information.

With so many new organizations and test-takers considering online proctoring, Examity (and the online proctoring industry more generally) has a responsibility to provide clear and direct information to our partners and the general public about ongoing and updated security practices. Perhaps most importantly, this includes providing clarity around our adherence to existing regulations and protocols: Examity is fully compliant with FERPA, FIPPA, GDPR, and HIPAA. In addition, we maintain industry-leading security through the use of SSAE-16 certified data centers, role-based authorization, and PCI compliance for secure transactions. These practices meet the global laws that we must abide by, but also exceed the high standards that our clients and their test-takers expect from a proctoring partner.

In the coming weeks, we will begin sharing regular updates about Examity’s ongoing efforts to keep our community informed of important security and data privacy policies, including:

• Formally introducing Examity’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Scott Foote. Scott joined our team last summer and brings 30 years of technology leadership experience in both cybersecurity and the broader software industry. 
• Instituting a number of revisions to the privacy and security information on our website, including helpful FAQs and simplified language, in order to present a clearer picture of our approach to these issues.
• Creating new resources to ensure transparent and consistent communication about how Examity approaches privacy and security.

We recognize that online proctoring requires test-takers to provide a degree of transparency into their personal environment during an exam — and that providing such transparency, even temporarily, demands trust. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and will continue to work hard to maintain the trust of our clients and their test-takers.