To help you prepare with confidence, these FAQs cover our data forensics approach—what it is, why we use it, how decisions are made, and your responsibilities before, during, and after testing.
CompTIA’s responsibilities
To protect the fairness and credibility of our certifications, safeguard opportunities for qualified professionals, and uphold public trust in our programs.
All flagged results are reviewed thoroughly by trained security professionals and qualified psychometricians. Decisions are made using objective criteria, multiple sources of information, and are aligned with the industry’s best practices. Our certification program follows the ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation standard, with accreditation granted by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB).
Yes. While data forensics reviews are confidential, CompTIA notifies candidates if any formal action is taken that affects their exam results, certification status, or future eligibility.
CompTIA applies preliminary forensic analyses to all exam administrations without including personal candidate information. This helps ensure that all reviews are objective and fair.
CompTIA uses advanced statistical analyses, continuous monitoring, and a multi-layered review process to maintain the security, fairness, and credibility of certification exams.
CompTIA regularly reviews and updates its policies, technologies, and forensic methodologies to address emerging threats and to ensure that exam security measures reflect industry best practices.
Data forensics review process
No. Data forensics investigations are confidential, and candidates are not notified when their exam is under review. However, if action is taken based on data forensics, CompTIA will notify you directly.
Not necessarily. Most reviews are conducted to ensure the health of an exam and do not result in any action. Anomaly detection simply prompts additional scrutiny to ensure exam integrity.
Industry-standard indicators may include patterns in how questions are answered, timing of responses, performance across item types, changes made to answers, and other indicators of unusual testing behavior. These help ensure fair and valid results for everyone.
Decision making and appeals
No. Decisions resulting from data forensics analyses are final and not subject to appeal. CompTIA’s processes are designed to be rigorous, objective, and consistent for all candidates.
Preliminary forensic analyses are applied to all administrations of an exam without personal information being included. Flagged results then undergo thorough review by trained security professionals and psychometricians. Decisions are based on objective criteria and multiple sources of information, ensuring consistent policy application in alignment with psychometric best practices and the ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation standard.
Outcomes and notifications
If your result is invalidated, you will receive official notification detailing the determination and outlining any impact to your certification status or future exam eligibility.
To protect exam integrity and security methodologies, CompTIA does not disclose specific analytical details or data forensics reports to candidates.
Depending on the nature and severity of the violation, actions may include invalidation of results, temporary suspension, or permanent ineligibility. Details will be shared in your outcome notification.
Candidate responsibilities
Only use authorized study materials and training providers. Follow all testing rules, review policies before your exam, and do not engage in any suspicious or unapproved activities. If you’re unsure, contact us or ask your proctor before beginning your test.
Yes. Candidates are required to report unauthorized training materials to the Exam Security Hotline.
Integrity, support & industry standards
Through rigorous data forensics processes, CompTIA is dedicated to evaluating every candidate in a manner that is secure, fair, and consistent.
CompTIA ensures the integrity of its high-stakes certification exams through development and delivery processes accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) to meet ISO/IEC 17024 requirements.
This page reflects CompTIA’s commitment to best practices as defined by the Association of Test Publishers (ATP) and other industry leaders in assessment security. Reference: ATP, Using Data Forensics to Detect Potential Test Fraud (2025)