Honorlock Update Improves Exam Monitoring and Fixes Known Issues

Posted: 2026-09-09 08:38:39   Expiration: 2026-10-14 08:38:39

A Sept. 8 Honorlock release strengthens detection of unauthorized exam software, reduces falsely flagged violations and fixes several reported issues for NDSU instructors who use Honorlock to proctor exams.

Honorlock, the online exam proctoring tool used across NDSU, released an update Sept. 8 for its Web App (version 11.9.0), Extension (6.78.0) and Hub (2.11.0). The release focuses on more accurate detection of unauthorized exam software and includes several smaller fixes instructors may notice in Honorlock-proctored exams.

Stronger Detection of Unauthorized Software

Honorlock rebuilt how its Desktop App recognizes software that could be used to cheat on an exam. The previous approach relied mainly on matching process names, a method some cheating tools intentionally evade by disguising their names, so the app now checks multiple signals instead of just one. Exams proctored with the Desktop App enabled are showing 10% to 15% fewer flagged violations than exams that rely on Browser Guard alone.

Other Changes

• The System Check screen no longer shows the "Get the Honorlock Mobile App" QR code, which test takers were mistaking for a required step. The separate QR code used for Workspace Scan is unchanged.
• A bug that kept ALEKS exams from properly relaunching after a student closed the exam tab or camera window has been fixed.
• When a second person is only partially visible in frame, Honorlock now flags the session as Multiple Faces instead of Partial Face, giving reviewers a more accurate result.

-- Academic Affairs: Haley Hamel