HackerEarth Proctoring: What It Records and Flags

HackerEarth proctoring is a set of switches, not a single mode. As of September 9, 2026, HackerEarth documents webcam snapshots at random intervals, a warning-then-logout rule for leaving the test window, full-screen enforcement, copy-paste blocking, ID verification through Aadhaar, opt-in audio recording, entire-screen monitoring on Chromium browsers, a keystroke code player, two plagiarism checks, an integrity index, and a lockdown desktop app called Smart Browser. The employer chooses which of these run on a given test. Only keystroke recording on programming questions appears to be on regardless.

This article is the inventory. Each control is described with HackerEarth's own wording, followed by what the recruiter's report shows and links to the individual questions candidates ask most.

Two environments: browser test and Smart Browser

A HackerEarth assessment runs either in a normal browser or inside Smart Browser, a desktop application the candidate installs from the invitation email. HackerEarth's Smart Browser setup guide lists Windows 10 and 11, Ubuntu 20.04 and 22.04, and macOS 13.5 Ventura and above. Linux support distinguishes it from HackerRank's desktop app, which documents no Linux build.

In the browser, every control below is an individual setting. In Smart Browser, HackerEarth's advanced proctoring documentation, updated January 22, 2026, says the app blocks "Sharing or recording the test window", "Taking screenshots of the test", "Opening or switching to other applications", "Resizing the test window", "Using multiple monitors", "Running the test inside a virtual machine", and "Accessing browser developer tools". Alt+Tab, the Windows key, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V are disabled, and "Operating system notifications are blocked".

The settings an employer can switch on

HackerEarth's proctoring settings documentation describes each control for recruiters.

Three more controls sit outside that page. Audio proctoring is documented separately: "HackerEarth records and analyzes candidate audio during the test", and "This feature is not enabled by default" (audio proctoring documentation). Screen recording appears in the proctoring overview as a feature that "captures the candidate's screen activity during the test", and the March 7, 2025 release notes add "Monitoring the entire candidate screen to prevent switching tabs" and "Detection of candidates using multiple monitors", both "supported only on Chromium-based browsers such as Chrome and Edge". Keystroke tracking feeds a code player that "records candidates' keystrokes such that it can be played as a video", available "only for programming questions" (code player documentation).

What the recruiter's report shows

HackerEarth's report components documentation lists the proctoring fields: the number of tab switches, the integrity index, whether plagiarism was found, the audio recording if enabled, whether "the candidate snapshots are meeting the proctoring guidelines", and whether ID verification succeeded, with the uploaded images viewable.

The integrity index has three levels. HackerEarth's integrity index documentation defines Acceptable as "minimal to no violations detected", Marginally Acceptable as violations "that require further review, though they do not automatically disqualify them", and Unacceptable as "significant or repeated proctoring violations". It is computed mainly from snapshot and tab-switch violations and exists only for assessments taken after February 1, 2024.

Where the plagiarism flags come from

HackerEarth runs two checks, per its plagiarism insights documentation updated February 11, 2026. Within a test, it compares "each candidate's best submission with the best submission of all other candidates" line by line, and "If two submissions match by more than 85%, both are flagged". Against the internet, "An AI-powered code plagiarism detection system" checks public sites and uses "logic-based detection" that "analyzes the intent and logic of the code, not just syntax or variable names". Neither page documents notifying the candidate.

Specific HackerEarth questions

• Is HackerEarth proctored?
• Does HackerEarth record video during a test?
• Does HackerEarth record your screen?
• Does HackerEarth detect cheating?
• Does HackerEarth detect tab switching and copy-paste?
• HackerEarth test: what to expect step by step

What this means for candidates

The invitation and the pre-test screens tell you which switches are on: a Smart Browser download link, a webcam prompt, a microphone prompt, an Aadhaar verification button, a full-screen launch. Read the test instructions for the resource and AI rules, and ask the recruiter in writing when they are silent. If outside help is prohibited, prepare with it beforehand and take the test alone. For how the same questions play out on HackerRank, see what HackerRank proctoring detects and records; for the general case of a lockdown app, see what a coding assessment desktop app does to your machine.