Author: Karl

This little experiment wasn’t meant to encourage cheating—far from it. It actually began as a casual conversation with a colleague about just how “cheatable” online tests can be. Curiosity got the better of me, and one thing led to another.

If you’ve come across my earlier post, “Get an A on Moodle Without Breaking a Sweat!” you already know that exploring the boundaries of these platforms isn’t exactly new territory for me. I’ve been down this road before, always driven by curiosity and a love for tinkering with systems (not to mention learning how they work from the inside out).

This specific tool, the LinkedIn-Skillbot, is a project I played with a few years ago. While the bot is now three years old and might not be functional anymore, I did test it back in the day using a throwaway LinkedIn account. And yes, it worked like a charm. If you’re curious about the original repository, it was hosted here: https://github.com/Ebazhanov/linkedin-skill-assessments-quizzes. (Just a heads-up: the repo has since moved.)

Technologies

This project wouldn’t have been possible without the following tools and platforms:

• Python: The backbone of the project. Python’s versatility and extensive library support made it the ideal choice for building the bot. It handled everything from script automation to data parsing. You can learn more about Python at python.org.
• Selenium: Selenium was crucial for automating browser interactions. It allowed the bot to navigate LinkedIn, answer quiz questions, and simulate user actions in a seamless way. If you’re interested in web automation, check out Selenium’s documentation here.
• LinkedIn (kind of): While LinkedIn itself wasn’t a direct tool, its skill assessment feature was the target of this experiment. This project interacted with LinkedIn’s platform via automated scripts to complete the quizzes.

How it works

To get the LinkedIn-Skillbot up and running, I had to tackle a couple of major challenges. First, I needed to parse the Markdown answers from the assessment-quiz repository. Then, I built a web driver (essentially a scraper) that could navigate LinkedIn without getting blocked—which, as you can imagine, was easier said than done.

Testing was a nightmare. LinkedIn’s blocks kicked in frequently, and I had to endure a lot of waiting periods. Plus, the repository’s answers weren’t a perfect match to LinkedIn’s questions. Minor discrepancies like typos or extra spaces were no big deal for a human, but they threw the bot off completely. For example:

"Is earth round?" ≠ "Is earth round ?"

That one tiny space could break everything. To overcome this, I implemented a fuzzy matching system using Levenshtein Distance.

Levenshtein Distance measures the number of small edits (insertions, deletions, or substitutions) needed to transform one string into another. Here’s a breakdown:

• Insertions: Adding a letter.
• Deletions: Removing a letter.
• Substitutions: Replacing one letter with another.

For example, to turn “kitten” into “sitting”:

1. Replace “k” with “s” → 1 edit.
2. Replace “e” with “i” → 1 edit.
3. Add “g” → 1 edit.

Total edits: 3. So, the Levenshtein Distance is 3.

Using this technique, I was able to identify the closest match for each question or answer in the repository. This eliminated mismatches entirely and ensured the bot performed accurately.

Here’s the code I used to implement this fuzzy matching system:

import numpy as np

def levenshtein_ratio_and_distance(s, t, ratio_calc = False):
    rows = len(s)+1
    cols = len(t)+1
    distance = np.zeros((rows,cols),dtype = int)

    for i in range(1, rows):
        for k in range(1,cols):
            distance[i][0] = i
            distance[0][k] = k
  
    for col in range(1, cols):
        for row in range(1, rows):
            if s[row-1] == t[col-1]:
                cost = 0 
            else:
                if ratio_calc == True:
                    cost = 2
                else:
                    cost = 1
            distance[row][col] = min(distance[row-1][col] + 1,
                                 distance[row][col-1] + 1,
                                 distance[row-1][col-1] + cost)
    if ratio_calc == True:
        Ratio = ((len(s)+len(t)) - distance[row][col]) / (len(s)+len(t))
        return Ratio
    else:
        return distance[row][col]

• levenshtein.py

I also added a failsafe mode that searches for an answer in all documents possible. If it can’t be found, the bot quits the question and lets you answer it manually.

Conclusion

This project was made to show how easy it is to cheat on online tests such as the LinkedIn skill assessments. I am not sure if things have changed in the last 3 years, but back then it was easily possible to finish almost all of them in the top ranks.

I have not pursued the cheating of online exams any further as I found my time to be used better on other projects. However, it did teach me a lot about fuzzy matching of strings and, back then, web scraping as well as getting around bot detection mechanisms. These are skills that have helped me a lot in my cybersecurity career thus far.

Try it out here: https://github.com/StasonJatham/linkedin-skillbot

Ah, Moodle quizzes. Love them or hate them, they’re a staple of modern education. Back in the day, when I was a student navigating the endless barrage of quizzes, I created a little trick to make life easier. Now, I’m sharing it with you—meet the Moodle Solver, a simple, cheeky tool that automates quiz-solving with the help of bookmarklets. Let’s dive into the how, the why, and the fine print.

You can check out the code on my GitHub here: https://github.com/StasonJatham/moodle_solver

I should note that this code is quite old and would need a lot of tweaking to work again.

What is Moodle Solver?

The Moodle Solver is a set of JavaScript scripts you can save as bookmarklets. These scripts automate the process of taking Moodle quizzes, saving you time, clicks, and maybe a bit of stress.

The basic idea:

1. Do a random first attempt on a quiz to see the correct answers.
2. Use the scripts to save those answers.
3. Automatically fill in the correct answers on the next attempt and ace the quiz.

How It Works

Step 1: Do the Quiz (Badly)

Most Moodle quizzes give you two or more attempts. On the first attempt, go in blind—pick random answers without worrying about the outcome. If you’re feeling adventurous, I even have a script that fills in random answers for you (not included in the repo, but it’s out there).

Why do this? Because Moodle shows you the correct answers on the review page after the first try. That’s where the magic happens.

Step 2: Run get_answers_german.js

Once you’re on the review page, it’s time to run the get_answers_german.js script. This script scans the page, identifies the correct answers, and saves them to your browser’s localStorage.

One caveat: The script is written in German (a throwback to my school days), so you might need to modify it for your language. Moodle’s HTML structure might also change over time, but a little tweaking should do the trick.

Step 3: Nail the Second Attempt

When you’re ready for your second attempt, use the set_answers.js script. This script fills in all the correct answers for you. Want to go full automation? Use autosubmit.js to submit the quiz with a randomized timer, so it doesn’t look suspicious. After all, no teacher will believe you aced a 50-question quiz in 4 seconds.

Bonus Features

Got the answers from a friend or Google? No problem. The fallback_total.js script lets you preload question-answer pairs manually. Simply format them like this:

  var cheater = {
    answers: [
      {
        question:
          "Thisisanexamplequestion?",
        answer: "thecorrectanswer",
      },
      {
        question: "Whatisthisexamplequestion?",
        answer: "youwillpass.",
      },
      {
        question: "Justlikethis?",
        answer: "yes,dude.",
      },
      .......
    ],
  };

Swap out the default questions and answers in the script, save it as a bookmarklet, and you’re good to go.

Why Bookmarklets?

Bookmarklets are incredibly convenient for this kind of task. They let you run JavaScript on any webpage directly from your browser’s bookmarks bar. It’s quick, easy, and doesn’t require you to mess around with browser extensions. It is also really sneaky in class 😈

To turn the Moodle Solver scripts into bookmarklets, use this free tool.

1. Download the Scripts: Grab the code from my GitHub repo: github.com/StasonJatham/moodle_solver.
2. Convert to Bookmarklets: Use the guide linked above to save each script as a bookmarklet in your browser.
3. Test and Tweak: Depending on your Moodle setup, you might need to adjust the scripts slightly (e.g., to account for language or HTML changes).

The Fine Print

Let’s be real: This script is a bit cheeky. Use it responsibly and with caution. The goal here isn’t to cheat your way through life—it’s to save time on tedious tasks so you can focus on learning the stuff that matters.

That said, automation is a skill in itself. By using this tool, you’re not just “solving Moodle quizzes”—you’re learning how to script, automate, and work smarter.

Wrapping Up

The Moodle Solver is a lighthearted way to make Moodle quizzes less of a hassle. Whether you’re looking to save time, learn automation, or just impress your friends with your tech skills, it’s a handy tool to have in your back pocket.

Check it out:

• GitHub Repo: github.com/StasonJatham/moodle_solver

Good luck out there, and remember: Work smarter, not harder! 🚀

Are you like me—a fan of working smarter, not harder, and squeezing every last drop of efficiency out of your day? Do you enjoy multitasking so much that even your coffee break is double-booked? If you’re nodding along, welcome to my world!

Every morning, I log in to about 16 different tools—some online, some local—and most require separate accounts and credentials. Oh, and because most corporate networks are allergic to fun, scripting options are usually limited to PowerShell or VBScript. (If your network has no restrictions… well, you might want to rethink that. Seriously. 😅)

But fear not! I’ve come up with a PowerShell-based solution to let your computer do the heavy lifting while you enjoy your coffee. Whether it’s logging into websites, launching mail clients, or sending a cheerful “Good Morning!” on Slack, this script automates the grind so you can focus on the important stuff.

The code is public and open source on GitHub!

Dependencies

• PowerShell (because it’s the last scripting tool standing in restrictive environments)
• KeePass 2/XC (or any password manager with auto-type functionality—no hardcoding passwords here!)

KeePass is key to this system. It allows you to set up auto-type rules like:

“If a window titled ‘Blah Manager’ is open, and I press Ctrl + Alt + I, enter username, press Tab, enter password, and press Enter.“

Examples of Automation

Starting a Mail Client

Open your mail app, wait for the login window, and let KeePass fill in the credentials.

function start_mail_client() {
    wait_till_keepass_open

    $notes_running = Get-Process MAIL_CLIENT -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if (-Not $notes_running) {
        Start-Process "C:\Program Files (x86)\MAIL_CLIENT\MAIL_CLIENT.exe"
    
        while(-Not $wshell.AppActivate('MAIL_CLIENT Login Window Title')) {
            $wait_counter = $wait_counter + 2
            if ($wait_counter -ge 12) {
                $wait_counter = 0
                return
            }
            Sleep 2
        }
        $wshell.SendKeys('{TAB}')
        $wshell.SendKeys('(^%(i))') #-> KeePass autotype keyboard shortcut, standard is $wshell.SendKeys('(^%(l))')
        Sleep 5
    }
}

Logging into Websites

Launch your browser, open tabs, and log in automatically.

function login_website() {
    $wshell.AppActivate('Edge')
    start microsoft-edge:https://some-website.com
    Sleep 5
    $wshell.SendKeys('(^%(i))') #-> KeePass autotype keyboard shortcut, standard is $wshell.SendKeys('(^%(l))')
    Sleep 9

Messaging on Slack

Start Slack, focus the chat window, and send a cheerful morning message to your team.

function open_chat() {
    $wshell.AppActivate('Edge')
    start microsoft-edge:https://this-is-messenger.com
    if (is_first_start) {
        $wshell.SendKeys('(^+(l))') # -> slack keyboard to focus chat window 
        Sleep 2
        $wshell.SendKeys('Good Morning everyone! :wave: ')
        Sleep 8
        $wshell.SendKeys('{ENTER}')
        Sleep 1
    } 
    Sleep 5
}

Deployment Options

Option 1: Manual

Run the script as needed, but make sure to adjust paths (e.g., KeePass database location).

# Name of KeePass DB
$keepass_db_name = "SomeKeePassDatabaseName.kdbx"

Option 2: Automatic on Startup

Set the script to run every time you boot up by combining PowerShell with a simple VBScript.

Dim objShell
Set objShell = Wscript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

objShell.Run("Path\to\Desktop\Scripts\keypresser.vbs")
WScript.Sleep 1000
objShell.Run("powershell -noexit -file Path\to\Desktop\Scripts\GoodMorningBerlin.ps1")

Set objShell = Nothing

Bonus: VBS-Caffeine Script ☕

Because no one wants their computer falling asleep mid-task, this tiny VBScript toggles the Num Lock key every two minutes to keep the system awake. It’s a lifesaver for long processes.

Dim objResult

Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
i = 0

do while i = 0
	objResult = objShell.sendkeys("{NUMLOCK}{NUMLOCK}")
	WScript.Sleep (120000)

Loop 

Conclusion

This script isn’t just about convenience—it’s about reclaiming your time and starting the day on your terms. So grab your coffee, lean back, and let your PC handle the morning grind for you. ☕✨

Get started with the code today: https://github.com/StasonJatham/good-morning-berlin