How to Cheat in Respondus Lockdown Browser in 2024?

In the era of the digital world, everything is revolutionizing day by day. Now, people love to do things online more than offline. Starting from offices to shopping, this thing has prevailed in the education system too. The education system adopted the online system, and guess what, it worked and now more and more students are getting online education at cheaper prices.

But at the same time, many issues were raised like lack of interest in class work and cheating. Students love to deceive the teachers and find new ways to cheat in the exam. 

To prevent cheating, the education system professionals hired many software engineers who collaboratively made software that could lock the exam environment and prevent cheating to a great extent. This software-like system is known as the ‘Respondus lockdown browser’. 

But Guess what, in this blog, I am going to share many traditional and new ways of cheating in the Respondus lockdown browser with mobile or Mac. 

But before knowing how to cheat it will be great to understand deeply what the Respondus browser is, what are system requirements, what are its main features, and how it works and detects cheating to have a clear perspective of it.

After getting all this info, we will see what are the ways by which the cheat in Respondus lockdown browser is possible. 

What is Respondus Lockdown Browser

Repondus Lockdown browser is a software that can lock the browser while exams or quizzes get started, and produce a testing environment much like a physical exam.

It is based on a framework named Chromium offered by Google. Teachers can integrate this software into learning management systems like Blackboard and Canvas very easily. It works both on the Windows and Mac.

When the exam is started, it locks the browser tabs and shortcut keys. Along with locking the browser, it also records the screen and has access to the mic.

Main Features of a Lockdown Browser

• When a student opens the exam having the lockdown browser integrated, he/she cannot use anything other than that custom browser created as soon as the quiz or exam starts. 
• When the Lockdown browser starts, it makes the screen to full mode which means the screen can’t be minimised or closed, only a few options are available to use on the screen. 
• Moreover, browser keys, toolbar function keys and the right-click button of the keyboard get disabled except for options that are to refresh, forward, back, or stop.
• Browser overrides all the computer functions thus preventing the student from doing other tasks helping as a cheat.
• As earlier mentioned, it stops working functional keys thus copy and paste also become disabled in this browser, students have to write all the things by hand using the keyboard.

How Does Lockdown Browser Work And Detect Cheating?

Requirements of Browser

• Windows 8 or above in case of a laptop or Mac 10, 12, or higher
• Enough hard drive space to install the software i.e., minimum 150 MB
• A compatible LMS (Learning Management System) i.e., Canvas, Brightspace, Moodle, or Blackboard
• A webcam and mic to record the student’s video and voice while examination

Working of Lockdown Browser

Launch the LockDown Browser and sign in to an LMS, such as Canvas. Before the exam, go through a quick starting procedure. Throughout the entire exam duration, the student and the surrounding area are recorded by the system. It allows the teachers to view the recorded video and swiftly go over any information pertaining to the assessment.

>> Integrating Respondus into Canvas

To enable the Respondus secure browser in Canvas, follow these steps: Launch Canvas and go to the course tab. Select Preferences, navigate to the “Navigation” menu and find your restricted browser in the list at the screen’s footer. Modify your course’s navigation by selecting the symbol, activate it by clicking the button, and the Respondus secure browsing tool will appear at the top of the list. 

>> Integrating Respondus into Blackboard

To use Respondus Lockdown Browser in Blackboard for an exam, log in to the system, enter the relevant class, and click on “Course Tools” on the left panel. Access the instructional resources, then choose the Respondus button to lock down your browser. In the exam section, select “Settings” from the drop-down menu and enable “Require Respondus Lockdown Browser” to enforce browser restrictions for the selected exam.

How LockDown Browser Detects Cheating?

1. Using the Webcam

The browser uses the webcam to record the student during the whole examination process. Any suspicious activity leads to flagging and is considered a red flag. These suspicious activities include moving away from the screen, leaning towards something changing position continuously, not sitting properly upright, etc. 

2. Restricting the exam environment

The microphone has the access to detect the sound or voices around the examinee.  The exam for the student requires that the environment should be silent and free of noise. All suspicious sounds like walking, sneezing of someone, a noisy environment, changing seating position, or any other activity that the microphone can detect and get interrupted is prohibited. 

3. Detecting computer activities

As we have discussed earlier in the features of the lockdown browser,  the browser stops and disables many activities for the student. If students attempt such activities as minimising, exiting the full-screen mode, printing or capturing the screen, or pasting anything during the exam, everything is considered an attempt to cheat. However many software are available that override it which we will discuss in the further section on how to cheat in lockdown browser. 

How to Cheat in Respondus LockDown Browser

Traditional Ways:

1. Using the ALT+Tab method

This method involves switching between the opened tabs. To apply this, open your helping material in one tab while the LMS is in another tab. When the exam starts, switch to helping material by clicking the keyboard shortcut ‘Alt+tab’. The “Alt” key is present on the keyboard immediately next to the space bar while the “Tab” button is present above the capslock button on the keyboard.

This method used to work initially, but now, due to the high-security update of the Respondus lockdown, everything is locked up. So, you can’t switch between tabs

This method doesn’t work now.

2. Desktop.exe method

Desktop.exe was a software that used to have access to the second desktop. But now, this software is not available. But no worries, We have found many new ways that are tested and can be implemented these days.

3. Virtual machine

It does not mean using a second device, instead virtual machine means a second OS within one computer. Let me explain it further. Normally, you have Windows installed on your desktop or PC hard drive, that is one machine. 

Now within this hard drive, you can install a second window that will act as a second machine (Virtual machine). To install this machine you have to install software like Oracle VM or Dreamspark VM.

This method is good to go but may slow down your system and may require a next-generation computer.

New Ways 

4. Using mobile Phone

This is a great method that students can use to cheat in Respondus lockdown browser with phones. It is also the most asked method by students. So, let’s see it in detail. To do this: 

1. You need a Bluetooth mouse and an OTG. 
2. Connect your mobile with a Bluetooth mouse using OTG and place the mobile with the screen of the laptop in such a way that you can see the mobile but it is not detectable or in the view range of the webcam. 
3. Adjust the mobile and now send your question to the second person to help in the exam. 

You can do this using your second laptop or your second MacBook to cheat using the same way. You just need to buy an extra OTG and mouse and have to put your second machine such as a MacBook, laptop, or mobile in a way that these are not in the range of the webcam. Webcam has a 45°  range.

5. Using Screen sharing software

Several softwares are available on the web that can be downloaded and installed in the desktop. Using these softwares, anyone can share their screen with the second person who has access to the screen, not only he will be able to see the screen but can also use the laptop and put the answer. 

The most commonly used software nowadays are any desk and TeamViewer. You just have to send your any desk or TeamViewer ID to the second person who will also have this software installed on their laptop. He will put your ID in there any desk and send you an access request. 

Before starting your exam you have to give access to the second person and then start the exam. If you give access before the exam and start the quizz then this method will not work because everything becomes locked as soon as you launch the respondus browser. 

6. Hiring an expert (Recommended)

This method is the most loving method for the students to get 100% success in their exams. For this, they hire an expert to do the exam on their behalf. The process is known as impersonation. 

In this, the person whom you hire for help has the ways to help you in the Lockdown browser exam. 

Daniel on Dsordeus uses WhatsApp method most commonly for their clients you can also you can contact Daniel and have your exam done securely.  You can hire daniel for all type of proctored exam cheating.

You just need to see the screen and act as if you are doing the same but in reality, everything will be done by the experts of Daniel. 

Isn’t it better than all other methods mentioned above? Just hire an expert and enjoy your success. No need for hard work or technicality to learn.

FAQ’s