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While perusing one of the many sites I visit on a regular basis (Security Cadets), I spotted a link to another site that had a recording of a spambot in action. Anyone who designs blogs and forums should watch the video:
http://www.botmaster.net/movies/XFull.htm
This is visual proof that CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) does not stop spambots.
Interesting, but I'm not sure it classes as proof that CAPTCHA in general fails, only that the specific techniques used fail.
Can the software read visual CAPTCHA (obscured text)?
I always assumed CAPTCHA was flawless even though I have never used it. We have worked out our own method that has been 100% effective.
Ricky, from what I've read and been told, there's software that can read almost ALL captcha. The basic premise is that if a human can read it, a machine can be programmed to read it. That doesn't mean the image can be read, but that a probability factor can be achieved on specific types to "guess" the characters.
I believe a challenge/response system would be more effective, provided the challenges and responses come randomly from a huge array of choices.
Michael, I read your article. It's a good technique, but the WordPress Akismet plugin handles it for me. Not one "non-spam" comment has ever been blocked. Update: I went back and reread the article and commented on your blog. I think it would be an awesome technique if I could figure out how to implement it here.
The purpose of the post was to make people think about alternatives to CAPTCHA for security. Never take it for granted that your security method is unbreakable and always look for a better way.
Good post, and it's also worth mentioning that CAPTCHA can really put off human commenters.
If I keep getting it wrong, because its so obscured, I'll give up and often not revisit that blog.
Are you kidding? Unless I REALLY want to post a comment with CAPTCHA being used, I don't even bother to try. If it's a simple reply, with no CAPTCHA, I'm likely to do so without hesistation. And that's why I will never use it on this blog.
I have a couple a blogger blogs that has the option of Captcha, but I hate them.
I find them a pain, not that I can't read them but in general I am like you Richard, I just won't bother to comment.
It depends on the CAPTCHA i guess, but I've heard before that they aren't perfect and some tools can pass them. Also heard the variant where spammers hire people in third world countries with very low wages (~$100) just to type CAPTCHA's all day long. This one sounds a bit like a stretch though.
And yeah, I don't post on blogs with CAPTCHA.
I have made my views clear on this - I detest captchas - although I don't have a specific policy which says "I won't post on your blog unless you remove your CAPTCHA." I am friendly with human beings, not with faceless blogs… To me, the reason I comment on blogs is people, not merely what technology they use.
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