In-seat paper, in-seat LockDown Browser (LDB), online LockDown Browser (LDB) and online Honorlock assessments with Browserguard enabled defeat AI plugins, browser-based tools, and agentic AI. They make it difficult to covertly use AI and smartglasses.
In-seat Canvas assessments are vulnerable to AI plugins, but make it difficult to use the other methods.
Online Canvas assessments without proctoring are vulnerable to all of these attacks.
⚠️Note: Defeats indicates that it should completely prevent access to that tool. Makes Difficult could represent a wide range of difficulty for a proctor to spot the tool in use, but it should significantly reduce its use. Vulnerable means the tool is unlikely to be detected in many cases.
| Threat |
In-Seat Paper |
In-Seat Canvas |
In-Seat LockDown Browser
(LDB) |
Online Canvas |
Online LockDown Browser
(LDB) |
Online Honorlock w.
Browserguard enabled |
| AI Plugins |
Defeats |
Vulnerable |
Defeats |
Vulnerable |
Defeats |
Defeats |
| Browser-Based Tools |
Defeats |
Makes Difficult |
Defeats |
Vulnerable |
Defeats |
Defeats |
| Covert Use of AI |
Makes Difficult |
Makes Difficult |
Makes Difficult |
Vulnerable |
Vulnerable |
Makes Difficult |
| Agentic AI |
Defeats |
Makes Difficult |
Defeats |
Vulnerable |
Defeats |
Defeats |
| Smartglasses |
Makes Difficult |
Makes Difficult |
Makes Difficult |
Vulnerable |
Vulnerable |
Makes Difficult |
Testing threat examples
AI plugins
The classic example of this is the Transcript browser extension that adds buttons to Canvas quiz questions that allow them to be scanned and answered. Because the button position is fixed, but the color can be changed to match Canvas, this may be hard to spot.
Browser-based tools
Google's Help Me Write, Google Lens/Homework Helper, and now Gemini in Chrome are all examples we saw in 2025.
Covert use of AI
Typical examples would be holding a phone in one's lap or, if using Honorlock, of holding it outside of the camera's view. In the latter case, it can be used to scan questions on the computer screen and provide answers.
Agentic AI
Perplexity's Comet, OpenAI's Atlas, and Opera's Neon are all examples.
Smartglasses
At this time, Meta Ray-ban Display Glasses with their bracelet-style wrist controller are probably the biggest concern, but others are emerging. To be a threat to in-seat or Honorlock tests, a sticker that blends with the frames must be placed over the telltale light indicating the camera is on, and the warranty must be voided by physically disabling the LED in the glasses. Some upcoming glasses from other brands are promising not to have a telltale light. Waveguide technology will make it difficult for proctors to determine whether an image is displayed on the screen. Smartglasses can also be a student's rather expensive prescription glasses. Smartglasses could pose a greater problem in late 2026 and early 2027.
Canvas campus and vendor resources
Honorlock campus and vendor resources
LockDown Browser campus and vendor resources