You’ve seen CAPCHA’S – Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart – on plenty of websites, the words are scrambled, twisted, wavy, or embellished with lines, wiggles , (even overlaid with images of cats), and are designed to be decipherable by humans, yet block automated programs from getting into websites.
The problem is that all too often they’re NOT decipherable. You’ve probably cursed the darn things on numerous occasions as you fail – repeatedly – to figure out the characters and are presented with a new set of largely indecipherable options.
If you’re among the millions frustrated with wiggles and dots, take heart. I’ve recently seen very cool security checks that allow you to pass the ‘human’ test by applying basic logic. AMEN!
In the example shown below, users are asked to identify a number in a sequence based on instructions, and it was such a pleasant experience that I’m recommending companies switch methods. The key is to have infinite number of variables, some spelled, some shown numerically so a automated system can’t simply recognize a few options.
Is it possible an advanced scripted program could figure out the logic? Probably. But there are additional tests that can be performed to identify non-humans by their interactions on a site, and that don’t put humans through visual contortions.
Whoever thought of this alternative is brilliant.