Implementation of the pHash algorithm for face recognition in a secured remote online examination system

In the rapidly growing learning environment, the remote online examination is the most common and efficient way of a candidate’s assessment. But the online assessment systems have stakes associated with them and so their security is a major concern. There are different types of security threats associated with them like content theft, examinee cheating or copying, someone else taking the exam on behalf of the examinee. Therefore it’s important to curb these threats to make these systems more reliable and credible. This paper presents a web-based online examination system which uses a novel pHash algorithm for enhanced security to perform automated verification of the identity of the examinee by capturing a snapshot of him before the exam starts. The system will make automated image comparisons between the registered image of the student and the sudden multi snapshots taken during the duration of the test that would reduce the probability of identity theft.