A lockdown browser isn’t your average web browser. Imagine a high-security exam hall within your computer, restricting access to everything except the test you’re taking. That’s essentially what a lockdown browser does.
Think Fort Knox for Online Exams:
Lockdown browsers are specially designed software applications used for online exams and assessments. They create a secure testing environment by:
Limiting access to other applications and websites: Say goodbye to sneaky Wikipedia tabs or instant messaging during exams. Lockdown browsers restrict access to anything beyond the testing platform, ensuring academic integrity.
Preventing screen sharing and recording: No more capturing screenshots or sharing test content. Lockdown browsers disable these functionalities, keeping the exam secure.
Monitoring suspicious activity: Some advanced lockdown browsers use webcams and screen recording to monitor for suspicious behavior like eye darting or copying from other screens.
Benefits Beyond Just Security:
Lockdown browsers offer several advantages beyond just preventing cheating:
Convenience: Students can take exams from anywhere with an internet connection, eliminating the need for physical testing centers.
Flexibility: Exams can be scheduled outside of traditional timeframes, catering to diverse student needs.
Data security: Sensitive exam data is protected within the lockdown browser environment, minimizing the risk of breaches.
Not Without Drawbacks:
While effective, lockdown browsers have their downsides:
Technical glitches: Technical issues with the software can disrupt exams, causing stress and inconvenience.
Accessibility concerns: Students with disabilities might require specific accommodations that lockdown browsers may not always support.
Privacy concerns: Webcam monitoring features raise privacy concerns for some students, requiring careful implementation and clear communication.
Overall, lockdown browsers are valuable tools for enhancing the security and flexibility of online exams. However, their use should be balanced with considerations for accessibility, user experience, and privacy. Remember, they’re just one piece of the puzzle in ensuring fair and reliable online assessments.
Secure Browser – Kiosk Mode for Windows 2024 Update: Kiosk Mode Malware — Hackers Steal Credentials Secure Browser For Windows Linux – Redesigned Website Kiosk Software News – DynaTouch acquires KioWare KioWare for Windows Version 8.24 with KioTouch – Kiosk Industry Lockdown Secure Browser Windows – Kiosk Remote Management Update Windows 10 Kiosk Mode – KioWare 8.33 The transition from IE to… Read More »
Kiosk Software News Sitekiosk has launched a new, redesigned website that features a new Cloud-based software solution for content management on kiosks and interactive displays. From sitekiosk.com — For more information, you can email sales-america@sitekiosk.com, or call +1 (305) 974-1952, or you can email info@kioskindustry.org. SiteKiosk secures and manages thousands of machines for a myriad of functionality in… Read More »
Kiosk Mode Recently there was a large RFP for kiosk enclosures (at a federal cemetery). The procuring office indicated that no computers would be required as they had existing stock of some older Dell laptops. The laptops run Windows 7 (consumer edition). Deploying self-service computers with an unsupported (and often hacked) operating system in order to save $20… Read More »
KioWare for Windows Release with Customer Requested Features Version 8.18 of KioWare® for Windows is now available. This release is almost exclusively dedicated to adding customer requested features and devices such as barcode scanners, passport readers, currency dispensers, receipt printers, and more. Significant improvements to Drive Browser also added. May 2019, York, PA – Analytical Design Solutions Inc.… Read More »
KioWare Android Lockdown Browser Kiosk Lockdown KioWare has released a new version of KioWare for Android out (3.12) and it has a few great new features worth sharing. A new “Guided Setup” tool which allows new or existing users to configure KioWare by answering a few quick questions. Support for automatic actions. Kioware can now enable automatic log… Read More »
Kiosk Software KioWare for Android Version 3.7 of KioWare for Android is now available. The latest release of KioWare for Android continues to support EMV certified mobile payments via Credit Call’s newest release of the mPOS CardEaseMobile framework (1.11). KioWare for Android now also supports devices providing detection of user presence. Analytical Design Solutions Inc. (ADSI) has released… Read More »
KioWare Kiosk Software for Android and Windows Now Has UK Office Reading, United Kingdom March 16, 2015 – Analytical Design Solutions Inc. (ADSI) dba KioWare, headquartered in York, Pennsylvania, has a new office location based just outside of London offering sales and service for current and prospective EMEA clients. Joining the KioWare team & managing the KioWare Europe… Read More »
Lockdown Browser Update – KioWare 8.34 Keeping track of the new updates to kiosk software for lockdown browser and remote monitoring is challenging to say the least. It’s still fairly easy to break into many kiosks. Test yours by just unplugging it for example and watch it boot up. That is your initial window of vulnerability. For this… Read More »
Tuesday, January 05, 2016 KioWare has released a new version of their KioWare Server & KioCloud kiosk management product solutions. All KioWare products can be used to secure mobile devices such as tablets, desktops, and smartphones running Android or Windows Operating Systems. KioWare kiosk software products lock down your device into kiosk mode, which secures the overall operating… Read More »
Kiosk Software Europe KioWare Kiosk Software for Android and Windows Now Has UK Office Reading, United Kingdom March 16, 2015 – Analytical Design Solutions Inc. (ADSI) dba KioWare, headquartered in York, Pennsylvania, … Reading, United Kingdom – Analytical Design Solutions Inc. (ADSI) dba KioWare, headquartered in York, Pennsylvania, has a new office location based just outside of London… Read More »
KioWare publishes a series of whitepapers and all of them are excellent whitepapers. For December we wanted to do a roundup of their 2016 Whitepapers which follow below. White Papers Below you will find white papers covering the issues and solutions involving kiosk software and security. What is Mobile Device Management? What is mobile device management,… Read More »
Are you Scan and Go Ready? Originally published on LinkedIn May 16, 2019 Wherever you go today, whether Starbucks or Taco-Bell, screens are in – touchscreens that is. More than likely your fingers will interact with a digital device at some point, whether swiping a tablet to pay a bill or signing a receipt or else ordering your… Read More »
Trackers Can Eat You Alive! From LinkedIn It’s common to assume that by browsing the internet companies are collecting boatloads of personal information about you and your devices. If you go to Amazon and buy some toothpaste via their app or browser, then like idiots, there will be ten different sites showing you toothpaste ads. No thanks, I just… Read More »
Lockdown Browser Kiosk Mode for Android Full article on kioware.com – with thousands of licenses deployed KioWare is one of the top lockdown browser aka Kiosk Mode kiosk software packages. For more information email info@kioskindustry.org In Brief Android 11 Now Supported Remote Monitoring Communication enhancements Migration from older versions enhanced support The usual requisite clean up this and… Read More »
Windows 10 Kiosk Mode & Android Kiosk Mode New Releases from KioWare! The month of February was an exciting time for KioWare as we saw not one, not two, but THREE new versions of our kiosk lockdown and management software! Whether you are an existing KioWare customer or are just interested in learning more, you can find more information… Read More »
January Update – Kiosk IndustryBig News – January is the last month for charter membership and charter sponsors. Charter means your company is fixed in the site index as the navigation. Go to the home page and hover your mouse on the About section and see the Charter flyouts. It is $299 till the end of January. I decided to include January since I will be at NRF. Here is link and we take CC or Paypal (and you don’t have to insert your EMV card holding it oddly in your hand 🙂
Recommended: I wrote up a NRF Preview which lists companies and booths. I’ll be there with Michael Tulloch of CTS and we’re going to talk to a lot of people (plus maybe the usual steak dinner). If you want to say hello send me an email (craig.keefner@gmail.com).
Also a write up after some interviews about HealthSpot and why it seemingly has crashed and burned after such a meteoric rise. Same week Higi gets $40M. Go figure. I really liked the blog entry by Frost & Sullivan. They did a nice job.
Here’s the other news from Kiosk Industry… Editor Picks
SiteKiosk Online introduces AI Advisor Kiosk Mode The utilization of artificial intelligence has become a reality for SiteKiosk Online. Over the past few months, a prototype of an AI-driven product advisor has been developed. This advisor offers suitable product recommendations and information by engaging users with specific questions and providing tailored responses. The fusion of artificial intelligence and… Read More »
Cheap Kiosk Rules Small business owners recognize the value of self-service because it allows them to serve more customers with minimal staffing overhead. This article gives you the components to piece together a very economical do-it-yourself kiosk for your small business or startup for under $1000 Source: blog.kiosksimple.com The Components That Make Up Your “Cheap Kiosk” Firstly, I want to clarify that… Read More »
Powered by a long-term kernel from the Linux 4.1.13 LTS series, Porteus Kiosk 3.6.0 is built around the Mozilla Firefox 38.4.0 ESR and Google Chrome 46.0.2490.86 web browser and includes a great number of new features that have been announced by the developer two days before the release of the distribution.
Prominent new features of Porteus Kiosk 3.6.0 include support for associating kiosk clients with the brand new Porteus Kiosk Server operating system that lets users access, manage, and monitor those clients when they’re behind a firewall, proxy, or Network Address Translation (NAT).
There’s also support for replacing or adding new default preferences for the compatible web browsers, including Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, the resolution of the Kiosk Wizard window has been increased to 800×600, and it is now possible to control the right-click mouse state through the wizard.
Newest KioWare for Windows Released Highlights are: New KioWare Classic Importer Tool. KioWare has added an importer tool that allows users of KioWare Classic for Windows to import their configuration settings easily for use with the new KioWare for Windows (nice feature for existing user base). Super easy/simple attract screen set up. KioWare has added a new option… Read More »
Free Kiosk Software (evaluation only) SiteKiosk is now available with Windows 10 and Chrome support. Miami, December 23 — The latest release of SiteKiosk Windows supports Windows 10 and features a Chrome-based browser with customizable browser toolbar, a content filter with top-level domain filtering, a new onscreen keyboards with size-adjustment option and more. Free trial available at www.sitekiosk.com Sitekiosk… Read More »
Kiosk Software Video Conferencing Now available: Version 8.3 of the new KioWare for Windows kiosk software now offers support for on demand video conferencing via VidyoWorks™. Leveraging this integrated Vidyo® solution, kiosks and other customer facing self-service devices can be easily configured to create a secure solution for on demand interaction and video chat with a representative. Vidyo offers… Read More »
New KioWare kiosk software for Windows KioWare released version 8.5 of KioWare kiosk software for Windows with a ton of new features and enhancements. See press release online at KioWare site. James Kruper, President of KioWare notes, “system security should be reliable and easy to configure with a strong feature set for kiosk customization. This update of KioWare… Read More »
One way MDM is moving into that industry is via the tablet. “When tablets arrived, it was a natural addition to, or replacement of, the smartphone. Quickly, it became clear that tablets could also be used by a much broader segment of staff on tasks within the workplace,” said James Kruper, president of KioWare. “For example, sales staff in a retail store can wander around the store with a tablet helping customers.”
This pushed tablets into a category Kruper calls a “purposed device,” since it is a device that is utilized for a specific purpose, within certain security parameters. Hence, it would make sense that MDM would begin to push into the self-service market, but also kiosk software could also move into the smartphone MDM market, according to Kruper. Purposed devices lay in between self-service and mobile device management.
There are still a few primary differences between the two markets. First of all, most self-service kiosks are made for use by the general public whereas a purposed device is usually meant to be utilized by an employee or owner during hours of operation. Second, many kiosks utilize peripherals in a manner that MDM devices have not adopted yet. Some examples of this include magstripe readers, printers, RFID scanners, cash dispensers and so on. In order to perform this task, the kiosk needs an interface to communicate with the devices.
“MDM vendors will need to add self-service capability to their MDM architecture, and the risk is that it will become a clunky add-on that performs poorly,” Kruper said. “MDM can be a viable option in the purposed device market, but in the true kiosk/self-service market, they are the new kids on the block and need to prove they can provide 24×7 security as well as device integration and monitoring.”
The key question that emerges from this discussion is whether MDM will ever be able to displace kiosk software. For purposed devices, it could go either way, according to Kruper. If keeping the device locked down is more important, then kiosk software might be more beneficial. On the other hand, if you need to be able to change the settings and update the device often, then MDM might offer more freedom.
“In the kiosk/self-Service market, if it is a public facing kiosk expected to run unattended and for long periods of time, then it is hard to beat kiosk/self-service solutions designed and tested specifically with that intent,” Kruper said. “In the spectrum that is corporate device management, consider that BYOD is on one side of the spectrum where there is a high level of freedom but little/no control, MDM is in the middle,
and kiosk software would be to the right where there is a high level of restricted behavior allowing for stronger security and tight control of the device.”
Kiosk FAQ is intended to answer those questions that we are asked frequently, no surprise there. Kiosk Mode Kiosk Best Practice Report on Usage of USPS kiosks usps- report.pdf Eliminate admin accounts in the OS. Learn from others How to Setup Kiosk Mode Chrome Kiosk Mode versus Kiosk software — Link How to do kiosk mode on Nexus 7 Setting Kiosk… Read More »
Traverse City, Michigan (PRWEB) October 13, 2014 — KioWare has chosen ADT’s powerful PROPORT™ tablet for demonstrating their Android Kiosk software at the Kiosk London Expo on October 15-16. Source: www.prweb.com The PROPORT is a powerful Android-based commercial tablet from AD Technologies that can be deployed as a kiosk, point-of-sale terminal, digital signage display, business process solution, and… Read More »
Version 3.4 of KioWare for Android is now available. Also available is Version 7.3.0 of KioWare for Windows. With External Device Support for a plethora of new devices, this latest release of KioWare Kiosk Software Products allows for integration with new payment, printing, and security devices. Source: www.kioware.com Disable status bar, Spanish language, and EMV compliance & devices… Read More »
CEO Corner Where we talk to the “Big Cheese” and find out more about who they are and their company. The choice of who you do business may come down to the look in the eye and a simple handshake. Ten Questions for Jim Kruper with Kioware What is your company name, location and your position? Analytical Design… Read More »
RBTE is Europe’s biggest and fastest growing retail solutions event and is firmly established as the must attend event for retail. Source: www.retailbusinesstechnologyexpo.com One of our key members is speaking at the upcoming Retail Business Technology Expo (RBTE) to be held in London at Olympia March 10-11th. PostCounter: 90
KioWare kiosk software news and Kiosk industry news. KioWare Press Releases, Kioware Company information Source: www.kioware.com New to KioWare Full for Android is a feature called “Heartbeat Geofencing”. Heartbeat Geofencing alerts the server when a device leaves the “green zone”. By setting the green zone to geographic parameters where the device is allowed to physically reside, KioWare Full… Read More »
Preview the New KioWare for Windows! Watch our video presentation as we share information and a first look at the new KioWare for Windows, built on the Chromiu… Source: www.slideshare.net Now built on Chrome for a richer experience PostCounter: 93
KioWare software now available to federal, state, & local government agencies through a GSA IT Schedule 70 Contract – KioWare.com Craig Keefner‘s insight: KioWare is sold throughout the world in over 80 countries to businesses, as well as federal, state/regional, and local government buyers. KioWare’s clients include the US Air Force, Coast Guard, Army Reserves, and Army Corps… Read More »