ENCRYPTED ONLINE EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER DISTRIBUTION WITH ROLE-BASED ACCESS CONTROL

Abstract

The rapid digitalization of academic and examination processes has increased the demand for secure mechanisms to handle sensitive examination question papers. The question paper distribution relies on manual methods such as physical transport, sealed envelopes, or basic electronic sharing, which offered limited security and were prone to leakage, unauthorized access, and human error. Even in semi-digital systems, question papers are often stored or transmitted in plaintext with weak access control, lacking proper authentication, authorization, and audit mechanisms. These limitations pose serious risks to examination integrity and confidentiality, especially in large-scale or remote examination environments. To address these challenges, this project presents a secure online examination question paper distribution framework that integrates strong cryptographic techniques with role-based access control. Examination content is protected using Advanced Encryption Standard Galois/Counter Mode (AES-GCM) symmetric encryption, while Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA) publickey cryptography is employed for secure key generation and key exchange, and Secure Hash Algorithm-256 (SHA-256) hashing is used for secure password protection. Access to encrypted papers is strictly controlled through authentication and authorization checks, and decryption is performed dynamically only for authorized users, minimizing plaintext exposure and maintaining Role Based Access Control (RBAC). The system also maintains detailed audit logs to ensure accountability and traceability. By automating encryption, authorization, and access workflows using a lightweight web-based architecture, the proposed system enhances performance, reliability, and security. The significance of this work lies in providing a scalable, transparent, and robust solution that preserves examination integrity and strengthens trust in modern digital academic environments.