From Conventional Proxying to Advanced Digital Impersonation: A Socio-Technical Analysis of Cheating Practices in Online Examinations

The evolution of academic impersonation has transformed traditional proxy examination practices into sophisticated forms of digital impersonation enabled by remote technologies. Conventional exam proxying relied on physical substitution of candidates, making detection largely dependent on face-to-face identity verification. In contrast, contemporary online examinations have facilitated next-level impersonation through remote desktop control, covert device access, and coordinated third-party intervention without visible physical replacement. This study adopts a socio-technical perspective to analyze the transformation of impersonation practices and their implications for online proctoring systems. Using qualitative analysis grounded in practitioner observations and system-level reflection, the study demonstrates that real-time monitoring and AI-based detection alone are insufficient to address advanced digital impersonation. The findings highlight the need for layered safeguards, including device-level execution boundaries, behavioral consistency assessment, post-proctoring forensic review, and human-centered adjudication. The paper argues that preserving integrity in large-scale online examinations requires governance-oriented system design rather than claims of absolute technological control.