June 5, 2025
Legacy Proctoring Tools Are Obsolete—Here’s Why
Think your proctoring tool is secure? Think again. Most miss critical cheating apps—Proctaroo doesn’t.
Proctaroo Team
Blog
3 Min Read
The digital assessment space has changed dramatically, but proctoring tools haven’t kept up. Most legacy solutions still rely on lockdown browsers, a 20-year-old approach that prevents cheating by blocking other applications, instead of detecting and reporting misuse.
That’s a problem. Tools like Cluely, an AI-powered overlay that sits invisibly on top of exam windows, make a mockery of lockdown browsers. Students can cheat in real time without ever needing to switch windows, leaving traditional proctoring tools completely blind.
The result? Exams are compromised, and no one even knows.
Proctoring Solution | Background App Detection | How It Works |
|---|---|---|
Respondus LockDown Browser | ❌ No detection (blocks apps instead) | Prevents other apps/websites via lockdown; no reporting of what’s open. |
Honorlock | 🚫 No true detection | Lockdown + optional live proctoring; no detailed app reports. |
ProctorU | 🚫 No true detection | Monitors screen + webcam but doesn’t scan running apps. |
Examity | 🚫 No true detection | Combines live proctoring and lockdown but doesn’t report apps. |
SmarterProctoring | 🚫 No true detection | Lockdown approach only. |
Proctorio | ⚠️ Limited (flags when window focus changes) | Monitors mouse/keyboard + window focus but not full app lists. |
Examus | ⚠️ Partial (monitors system behavior) | Looks at system processes on certain settings, but limited. |
Proctaroo | ✅ Yes (Full Digital Activity Monitoring) | Detects background apps, browser tabs, copy-paste, window focus, and logs everything in a report. |
Why This Matters
The table says it all: most proctoring solutions don’t actually detect what students are running. Instead, they try to create a sealed environment and hope nothing slips through.
That worked 10 years ago—but Cluely and tools like it have exposed how outdated that model is. These tools can run stealthily in the background, bypassing lockdowns entirely.
Proctaroo takes a fundamentally different approach:
Detects, not blocks: We log every open app, browser tab, and window focus change, giving you a full audit trail.
Works with your tools: Whether you use Google Docs, Jupyter Notebook, or custom code editors, Proctaroo keeps the experience seamless while analyzing everything in the background.
Designed for transparency: You’ll know exactly what your students or interviewees are doing—no guessing, no blind spots.
The Future of Digital Integrity
It’s no longer enough to lock down a device and assume you’re covered. Modern proctoring requires real-time insight and proof of integrity.
If your current tool can’t even detect what’s running in the background, it’s already behind.
Don’t let your assessments be the next to fall. Talk to us about switching to Proctaroo.
