The rise of “undetectable” cheating apps like Cluely, Glass, and Cheating Daddy is challenging the integrity of online interviews across the talent market. As these tools become more sophisticated, many HR leaders and recruiters are growing skeptical — even questioning whether it's possible to conduct fair interviews outside the office.

For digital hiring platforms like Reppls, delivering high-quality, AI-powered interviews is only half the equation. Just as critical is the ability to maintain trust in the process by minimizing cheating risks. So how do we address this urgent market problem? Here's our approach.

A New Era of Cheating Threats

Unlike traditional proctoring concerns, these new apps run directly on the candidate's device, while Reppls conducts interviews in the browser. Local applications have privileged access: they can intercept mouse and keyboard activity before it reaches the browser, making them much harder to detect with standard tools. For many platforms, this is a dead end. For us, it's an opportunity to innovate.

Reppls detect “undetectable” cheating application Cluely

How Reppls Detects Suspicious Activity: The Simple Idea Behind a Powerful Algorithm

Most “undetectable” apps overlay answers on the candidate's screen in a semi-transparent window, allowing users to see answers by clicking or using hotkeys. Reppls leverages this interaction to spot suspicious behavior.

Here's a simplified explanation — our actual algorithm tracks a sequence of 50 events, analyzing mouse speed, coordinates, the time between movements, and more. The core idea is simple:

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  Mouse Tracking: Browsers normally monitor mouse movements, but if an overlay app hijacks events, mouse tracking suddenly freezes — X and Y coordinates stop changing. We look for patterns: if a user just pauses and resumes, the coordinates change smoothly. If there's a sudden “jump” after the mouse leaves and re-enters an overlay, that's a clear red flag.

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  Keyboard Analysis: Cheating apps often use unusual hotkeys (like repeatedly pressing Command+Enter). If we see only these keys with no other normal activity, it's a sign of something suspicious.

By analyzing not just individual events, but the sequence and timing of dozens of them, our algorithm can confidently detect the subtle digital “fingerprints” of cheating apps and flag suspicious sessions in real time.

Reppls algorithm to detect any layout over screen

No System Is Perfect — But We Empower Recruiters

It's important to note: No anti-cheat system can guarantee 100% accuracy. But with Reppls, recruiters get more than just raw data. They can view video of the candidate and compare it with the detected proctoring events — making it much easier to make informed decisions, rather than relying on algorithms alone or acting blindly.

The Real Business Impact: Trust and Brand Reputation

The wider adoption of cheating apps has led some employers to lose faith in remote and online interviewing altogether, reverting to in-person processes that are less scalable, more costly, and limit access to top talent. This loss of trust threatens to undermine the benefits of digital recruitment — speed, scale, diversity, and global reach.

By actively detecting and responding to the latest cheating tactics, Reppls helps restore trust in remote hiring. Our technology is tailored for the modern talent market — providing not just advanced AI assessment, but also built-in integrity checks that Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams can't offer.