Exam Security
The IIA, the Professional Certifications Board, and Pearson VUE take exam security seriously because the value of your certification depends on it.
Important Notice About Examination Security
IIA certification exam content is confidential. Unauthorized possession, use, or disclosure of any exam content is improper and may lead to invalidation of exam results, candidate disqualification, or other appropriate censures.
Examples of improper behavior include, but are not limited to:
- Memorizing exam questions and sharing information about exam questions with future test takers or test preparation services.
- Using exam questions that are known to be unauthorized (memorized or otherwise procured inappropriately) to study for an exam.
- Having a proxy to complete an exam or allowing any other user access to your computer while taking an exam.
- Using recording devices of any sort while taking an exam.
The IIA and its partners have implemented enhanced forensic and investigative measures to protect exam-related intellectual property and preserve the reputation of IIA certifications. These include actively monitoring test-taking behavior at test centers with video surveillance and applying sophisticated data forensics to exam results to identify anomalous activity.
It’s everyone’s job to protect the value of IIA certifications. If you suspect that actual exam questions have been leaked and are being used by individuals or test preparation services, do not purchase such materials. You may report incidents to The IIA at examsecurity@theiia.org.
For more information regarding misconduct, how to report violations, and consequences of violations, please refer to APPENDIX A - Exam Security in The IIA’s Certification Candidate Handbook.
IIA Exam Security
For more than 45 years, The IIA’s certification programs have had a global reputation for being credible, valuable, and secure. With more than 200,000 certifications awarded globally, The IIA makes every effort to protect the integrity of our certifications and the individuals who have earned or are currently pursuing them.
In order to maintain the security of our exams, The IIA’s Exam Security Team works to enhance processes and procedures and increase investigative measures to protect The IIA’s exam-related intellectual property (IP).
Unauthorized possession, reproduction, publication, or disclosure of any examination materials, including storing or disclosing examination questions to any person or entity by any means before, during, or after the examination, is prohibited by copyright laws and can result in candidate disqualification or other appropriate censures. Studying from recalled test content is also improper and can lead to severe penalties. If you are aware that an exam has been exposed, do not purchase such materials. Report the incident to The IIA at examsecurity@theiia.org.
What Happens If Security Is Violated?
Incidents of candidate misconduct will be referred to The IIA’s Global Ethics Committee for action and are considered serious offenses. Actions by The IIA’s Global Ethics Committee may include invalidation of exam results, disqualification from participation in all IIA certification programs (current and future), and publication of the results of the candidate’s due process in an IIA publication.
If evidence of misconduct is discovered after a candidate has been awarded an IIA certification, the certification and related social badge may be revoked. The IIA may also take other actions to the extent permitted by law. An appeals process is available.
If You See Something, Say Something
It’s everyone’s job to protect what matters, and the value of your certification or qualification matters. The IIA allows candidates to confidentially provide information should they notice unusual behavior at an exam site related to IIA exam IP or see an advertisement for the sale of exam questions and answers.
To help provide guidance as to what is acceptable (and not acceptable) behavior, we have developed a chart of situations that exam candidates may be confronted with and appropriate corresponding actions to take.
| Situation | Appropriate Action |
| My friend asks me how the test went. Can I talk with her/him about it? | Discussions regarding how you felt about the exam experience is fine as long as exam content is not discussed. Specific exam questions should never be discussed. |
| An acquaintance told me the URL where there is an exposed exam for me to study from. Should I take him up on his offer? | Studying from recalled test content is improper and can lead to severe penalties. If you are aware that an exam has been exposed, do not purchase such materials. Report the incident to The IIA at examsecurity@theiia.org. |
| I want to bring water and food into the exam room. May I? | Water will be available outside of the testing room when you take a break from testing. (Please note that there are no planned breaks, and the clock continues to run during any such time.) If you need special accommodation for food, water, or other accommodations (supported by a doctor’s note), upon submitting your exam registration and prior to scheduling your exam with Pearson VUE, please contact The IIA’s Global Certifications Department at certaccommodations@theiia.org. Early notice is important, as some modifications may take 30 days or more to implement. |
| Can I use my phone in the test center just to look at the time? | No. Watches and phones are NOT permitted in the testing room. There will be a clock on your computer screen that displays the amount of time remaining for your exam. |
| What if I need to access my personal belongings? | Access to personal belongings is not permitted with the exception of medication and food as approved by the test administrator. |
Where to Direct Questions or Concerns
If you have questions, comments, or concerns regarding exam security, misconduct, or the testing center, contact The IIA at examsecurity@theiia.org.