Does Safe Exam Browser Use Your Camera
Edel Dieringer
Safe Exam Browser is a web browser environment to carry out e-assessments safely. The software turns any computer temporarily into a secure workstation. It controls access to resources like system functions, other websites and applications and prevents unauthorized resources being used during an exam.
SEB runs on a local computer and it is connected via the internet to a learning management system (LMS) or an e-assessment system. Generally SEB works with any web based LMS and other kinds of web based exam systems. Some learning management systems (LMS) like for example Moodle, ILIAS, OpenOlat and exam solutions as Inspera Assessment offer a quiz mode specifically compatible with SEB.
SEB does not connect to any central server or cloud service! SEB Server, which can optionally be used, is an independent open source software component which can be installed on a self-operated server. SEB clients can then be connected to such an SEB server instance using individual configuration files. This is strictly optional and must be configured individually in any case. This also applies to the support and proctoring capabilities in new SEB versions via video conferencing services such as Jitsi Meet (open source, can be installed on a self-operated server) or Zoom (commercial, cloud-based). This video conferencing connection must also be configured individually and is always disabled by default. If an SEB client has been configured to connect to a video conferencing service or an SEB server instance, this will be indicated to candidates when starting an exam session and video/audio proctoring/support must be explicitly agreed to by each exam candidate in a dialog box. For more information see our privacy statement.
SEB consists of a kiosk application and a browser part, which are running on an examination computer or tablet device. The kiosk application locks down the examination computer, the browser part communicates over the internet (or a LAN) with the quiz module of an LMS running on a server.
The illustration above shows the two internal components which SEB consists of, the kiosk application and the browser part. The third part of an SEB exam environment is build into the supported LMS. Optionally one or several third party application(s) can be allowed to run during an exam and are started by the SEB kiosk application.
Safe Exam Browser for Windows consists of the SEB kiosk application, which opens an own Windows desktop and blocks system commands like keyboard shortcuts (for example ALT+F4) and right mouse button clicks. The second part is Firefox, running in a so-called XUL runtime mode. The SEB XUL browser application running on Firefox connects to the LMS, using a pre-configured start URL. The SEB browser doesn't contain a URL or search field and navigation controls (back/forward, reload) can be disabled.
In contrast to the Windows version, Safe Exam Browser for macOS and iOS is a monolithic application using a web browser framework instead of a browser runtime. It's using the WebKit engine, on which Safari and some open source browsers are based. Otherwise, SEB for macOS/iOS connect to the Learning Management Systems in the same way as the Windows version.
Safe Exam Browser enables secure exams on unmanaged computers like students' own laptops and tablets as well as in managed environments on all three platforms Windows, macOS and iOS. Starting version 2.0, SEB offers an individual configuration per exam, which is protected by a strong encryption against manipulation. Thanks to an elaborate authentication feature, the exam system can verify that a particular, unaltered SEB version and the correct exam settings are used for an examination. This facilitates secure exams especially on unmanaged computers like students' own laptops/tablets.
Safe Exam Browser 2.0 and later is a unified version which brings almost the same features, exam system interface, compatible configuration files and a very similar user interface onto all three platforms, while still taking in account operating system differences and unique platform specific features.
Safe Exam Browser 2010-2024 ETH Zurich, IT Services, based on the original idea of Safe Exam Browser by Stefan Schneider, University of Giessen
Project concept: Dr. Thomas Piendl, Daniel R. Schneider, Damian Bchel, Dr. Dirk Bauer, Kai Reuter, Tobias Halbherr, Karsten Burger, Marco Lehre, Brigitte Schmucki, Oliver Rahs.
Safe Exam Browser is released as freeware. The source code is subject to the Mozilla Public License Version 1.1 (the "License"); you may only use these files in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at .
All Safe Exam Browser (SEB) versions were prepared to be as accessible as our concept of a secure environment allows. Conformance level AA of the Web Accessibility Guidelines WCAG version 2.1 was aimed for SEB on iOS, macOS and Windows.
Information and useful tips on the peculiarities of the individual SEB versions with regard to accessibility as well as some restrictions regarding individual violations of WCAG success criteria are listed below:
SafeExamBrowser (SEB) doesn't send any personal information to any centralized server and is not connected to any web analytics, user tracking or clickstream analytics service. Some data which can be considered to be personal (device type and name, operating system version, computer account user name, local network host name, some URLs of opened web pages etc.) can be contained in the log files SEB saves on the system it is running on (when used with default settings). Log files are not transmitted to any centralized server by SEB, you can manually collect those log files for debugging purposes. Logging can be switched off in SEB's settings (Win/Mac).
If SEB clients have been optionally configured to connect to an instance of the SEB Server software component, the mentioned log data together with the username of an exam candidate from a supported exam system (currently Open edX, Moodle, OpenOlat and Ans, if configured to allow the SEB Server instance to connect to these independent systems) will be transferred to the individual SEB Server instance. SEB does not collect any other user data, but only loads and displays web pages and therefore does not "know" any details about individual exam users. As SEB can be used with various web-based examination systems, you have to make sure that those systems protect the examinees' data. SEB clients can be individually configured to connect to a video conferencing service (Jitsi Meet or Zoom) and transmit video/audio data from the camera and microphone of a client device via this video conferencing service. This is strictly optional and always disabled by default. If an SEB client has been configured to connect to a video conferencing service or SEB Server instance, this will be indicated to the candidates when starting an exam session and video/audio proctoring/support via a video conferencing service must be explicitly agreed to by each exam candidate in a dialog box.
There is no registration whatsoever required when downloading, installing or using SafeExamBrowser. SEB is not connecting to any cloud service or server, besides the web server which you enter as "Start URL" in your settings, and, when using appropriate individual configuration files, to an SEB server instance or a video conferencing service. When started with default configuration, SEB for Windows/macOS displays this page.
As SEB is open source, anybody can review the code to verify that SEB really doesn't connect to any centralized servers and is not sending any collected user data. Additionally, current SEB versions contain a security module to verifiy the integrity of the SEB application (and in some versions the operating system environment). This module is only distributed in binary form and for security reasons its source code is not available as open source. This module doesn't collect or send any personal information to any centralized server, it is not accessing the network or the Internet.
Some of its prominent features include blocking unauthorized websites, full-screen mode to minimize distractions, customization capabilities for administrators to adapt to institution-specific needs, and robust resistance to cheating and deception by students.
This means the tool does not provide direct support to students, and any communication or problem resolution occurs through the institution, which can hinder efficient technical assistance or problem resolution.
Additionally, Safe Exam Browser lacks a user registration system. This can complicate exam management and student identification, as there is no centralized process to keep track of who has used the tool at any given time.
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All SMOWL plans grant access to the MySmowltech client area, a user-friendly space where you can easily navigate. Here, you can check activity reports and evidence. You can also configure your alarms (and their strictness) before the exam.
The client area also includes sections for licenses and integrations, where you can check the current status and manage integration requests for SMOWL in your virtual campuses like Moodle and OpenLMS.
SEB 3.x is based on chromium engine, hence my assumption was that html webcam API's should be working.
In normal chrome browser, when getUserMedia is invoked for the first time, it asks for a permission to access webcam.
However, when I tried the same in SEB on Windows 10, no permission was asked and the webcam was not enabled in SEB 3.x.
On the SEB Configuration, I couldnot find enable webcam and enable audio under browser section like in SEB
2.3.