Fresh insights have revealed the sophisticated methods employed by hackers and rogue Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre operators to compromise the conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

According to an investigation by Saturday PUNCH, the malpractice syndicate thrives on the collaboration of CBT centre operators who deliberately release their servers’ Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to hackers. This access enables external “mercenaries” to sit examinations remotely on behalf of candidates, while the candidates remain inside the centres to create a cover of legitimacy.

An IP address is a unique set of numbers assigned to each device connected to a network using the Internet Protocol for communication. Once obtained, it becomes the gateway for intrusion.

A hacker who identified himself only as Ahmed, and claimed to have been in the business for a decade, detailed the process:

“There are some centres that make their IPs available to hackers. With this, they are able to penetrate and gain access to questions and login details of candidates. While candidates are physically present at CBT centres, hired mercenaries remain outside with remote access to the servers to write the exams on their behalf.”

The Logout Strategy
Ahmed revealed that candidates are deliberately logged out mid-examination to allow mercenaries to take control.

“We instruct candidates to remain calm whenever they are logged out. During that period, we have already accessed their portals and begun answering the questions. By the time they complain and are logged back in, they will see all the questions already answered. They just click ‘Submit,’ and that’s the end.”

According to him, the intrusion requires nothing more than the IP address and a set of numeric codes.

Insiders at the Core
An education consultant in Badagry, Lagos, corroborated Ahmed’s account, stressing that such operations would be impossible without insiders.

“This cannot happen without the cooperation of CBT centre operators. They provide the IP addresses and are paid millions of naira by parents and candidates desperate for success. Once the server is compromised, the exam is as good as written.”

A CBT operator in Lagos also admitted that many centres were aware their servers were compromised but turned a blind eye due to financial benefits.

“The owners know, but they won’t act. They profit from the malpractice, as mercenaries pay them heavily for access.”

Between Fraud and Genuine Glitches
However, some stakeholders have cautioned against lumping all technical hitches under the label of fraud.

The National President of CBT Operators, Ohaekelem, noted that innocent centres often suffer blacklisting due to system failures beyond their control.

He cited an instance in Anambra where a registration network failure resulted in mismatched candidate details—an error later mistaken for malpractice.

“Some glitches happen inadvertently, especially during biometric capture or network disruptions. These shouldn’t be seen as deliberate fraud. The real fraud is when there is intent to compromise the examination process.”

Candidates’ Desperation
The Secretary of the Association of Tutorial School Operators in Oyo State, Ogundokun Olufunso, expressed worry over the increasing desperation of candidates and parents, warning that the reliance on shortcuts undermines the integrity of education.

“Many candidates and their parents are willing to do anything to pass, and this desperation fuels the business of hacking and malpractice.”