Since 2022, coinciding with the waning COVID pandemic, first-year chemistry subjects at the University of Wollongong have been delivered through a blended learning model comprised of pre-recorded lectures, Moodle quizzes, on-campus workshops, and major summative assessments – one of which is online and not proctored. We report strategic and innovative uses of technology to prevent, reduce, or detect cases of academic misconduct during an unsecured online final exam in chemistry. The deconstructed exam questions were created by embedding ECHO360 videos, referencing non-digital material, and linking questions to external images to effectively separate question components to complicate cheating. Results suggest that some students benefit disproportionately from constructed questions as opposed to deconstructed questions, proposing that deconstruction may inhibit use of Chegg or generative AI (ChatGPT). Additionally, IP addresses helped confirm that collusion during the online exam remains a significant challenge for the academic integrity of online assessments. As we endeavor to reduce misconduct in online exams amongst technological advancements, the overarching question lingers: are our efforts futile?