What is Export Controlled Information?

Export Controlled Information (ECI) is any information that protects the national security or interests of the United States. For that reason, such information is rigorously controlled and cannot be viewed by, or released to, a foreign national without proper approval from the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Violation of these laws comes with hefty penalties and fines. Access to this information is limited to only U.S Nationals and approved parties.

Industries subject to ECI Compliance range from Biological Research to Nuclear Energy and can effect goods such as developed toxins or software. Companies operating in this space can be liable for the protections they put (or lack thereof) on ECI; specific protocols need to be followed to assure that information is being protected in terms of where it is stored and who has access to it.

How does Export Control apply to Remote Proctoring? 

As we transition into a more remote world, many industries, including those that are required to be ECI complaint are looking for solutions that will allow them to continue training and testing. For that they need to use a remote proctoring solution that meets their requirements.

When remote proctoring a candidate, typically a webcam view and screenshare view are used to monitor them and their computer activity. The webcam secures the candidate (monitors access to restricted information in the test space: cell phone, notes, etc.) and the screenshare secures the candidate’s computer (monitors access to restricted information on the computer: search engines, notes, etc.). In some cases, an additional camera may be added to further increase security.

To properly validate that a candidate has learned their training materials, that can include ECI, they are tested and remotely proctored. The screenshare and in some cases the webcam and/or additional camera captures this information. It is imperative that the recorded video feeds are stored on ECI compliant servers that limit access both virtually and physically. If using local servers, they must have Export Control Policies in place or cloud servers such as AWS GovCloud can be used in which these policies are already built in.

Additionally, access to the application where proctoring occurs, and where the recorded sessions are stored, must be limited to the organization's personnel or the proctoring company’s US Citizen personnel. This applies to both when the organization or the proctoring company is doing the proctoring.

What to consider when going Remote? 

Most Importantly - A solution that is ECI compliant:

• Export Control Policies in place around their Local or Cloud Servers.
• Access is limited with security reviewed regularly – internal & external penetration tests.
• Trained U.S Citizen Staff for Proctoring and/or Technical Support.

An application that can support your exam delivery needs:

• Allows you to do your own proctoring or can supply proctors to meet demand.
• Training materials that allow you setup and/or proctor your own exams.
• Features that can be leveraged based on exam requirements and security needs.
• Works with your Learning Management System or Test Engine.
• Scalable to meet immediate and long-term needs.

A remote proctoring company that can support your company’s needs:

• Meets your requirements.
• Listens to your recommendations and adopts them quickly.
• Constantly aiming to bring you better technology and more efficient options.

Here at Proctor360 we are proud to say that we meet all the above requirements!  Request a demo to learn more.