Are You a Robot? Explaining CAPTCHA in Simple English

We’ve made it to the point where humans need to prove they’re real people to access systems, and one of the most common ways to do this is through the use of CAPTCHA technology. Completely Automated Public Turing test(s) to tell Computers and Humans Apart (try saying that with your mouth full) are everywhere, yet computers still struggle to actually crack these tests, unlike other methods of security. Why are they so successful at detecting automated bots?

The Primitive Age of Authentication

CAPTCHA tests used to consist of random sequences of alphanumeric symbols, but these tests are no longer effective as they used to be thanks to technological advancements.

Instead of humans decoding symbols that baffled computers, computers could identify codes that humans couldn’t. This was especially problematic for those with vision challenges. Spammers also began to outsource CAPTCHA deciphering for $0.30/1,000 CAPTCHAs.

It’s not profitable for the decipherer, but for the spammers, it’s a treasure troave of information.

Introducing: reCAPTCHA

Luis von Ahn, a Guatemalan native and student/faculty member at Duke and Carnegie Mellon University, was one of the initial creators of CAPTCHA in 2003. He was also one of the creators of reCAPTCHA in 2007, which was ultimately sold to Google in 2009. Adding to this list of accomplishments is his founding of Duolingo, the world’s largest online platform for language learning.

But hey, we’re not here to gush over his accomplishments. We’re here to learn about reCAPTCHA.

reCAPTCHA Explored

reCAPTCHA is the solution that has a circular arrow logo with the statement, “I’m not a robot.”

While this test is simple on the surface, it’s not an easy thing for a computer to do. It involves moving the cursor to the reCAPTCHA field and checking the box. Your mouse movement will likely be wobbly and inconsistent, whereas a computer’s would be precise and accurate.

In other words, the system can detect the speed and consistency at which the cursor moves and determine whether or not a human or computer moved the cursor.

If the system isn’t confident that you’re not a computer, it will still deliver a traditional CAPTCHA test. Still, this is more of a mouse-tracking tool than a competency test, as the system could still pass a human even if they miss one of the boxes that contain, say, road signs. reCAPTCHAs also take into account browsing history, as there’s no way a computer’s going to look up some of the bizarre things humans do.

It’s one situation where Google’s data collection policies actually serve to help users out.

It’s Okay to Make Mistakes with reCAPTCHA

Security is all about being ready just in case you make mistakes. That’s where Global Tech Solutions comes in. To learn more about our security solutions, call us today at (800) 484-0195.