It’s time for businesses to banish CAPTCHAs

Think back over the past week - how many times have you been asked by a robot to prove you’re not a robot? If you fail to click the corner of a traffic light, a machine will deem you non-human… no, the irony is not lost on us either.

CAPTCHAs were originally designed to prevent automated bots from accessing and exploiting online services. They presented challenges that were easy for humans but difficult for bots, such as deciphering distorted text or solving simple maths problems. However, fraudsters have adapted, and bots can now use advanced AI for image and audio recognition. And when these methods fail, they turn to ‘CAPTCHA farms’ where real people solve the tests.

To combat this, providers have made their CAPTCHAs more complicated. An understandable instinct but one that fails to recognise how much friction they are adding to their customer’s online experience. After all, 4 rounds of ‘spot the bike’ and squinting at blurry letters hardly screams ‘seamless experience’. We should also recognise the accessibility problems that traditional CAPTCHAS create. For those with dyslexia, visual impairment or sensory disabilities, these CAPTCHAs are all but impossible to solve. And to make matters worse, our data shows that 50% of users bypassing reCAPTCHAs are actually bots.

Businesses need to change their attitude and approach to traditional CAPTCHAs - they are no longer a necessary evil. They are ineffective, inaccessible, and damaging for a business’s bottom line, as they regularly turn away willing paying customers.‍

An alternative to CAPTCHAs‍

One of the most promising alternatives to traditional CAPTCHAs is the use of invisible challenges. These challenges work behind the scenes, collecting thousands of signals related to the user’s device and behaviour to distinguish between humans and bots. Signals can include browser and device fingerprints, as well as proxy detection.

The invisible nature of these challenges makes them harder for bots to overcome. Since the tests operate in the background, bots cannot perform A/B testing to adapt and learn. This gives businesses a significant advantage in maintaining security without compromising user experience.

To implement invisible challenges, businesses need to invest in sophisticated security solutions that can analyse user behaviour and device information in real time. These solutions use machine learning to detect anomalies and patterns indicative of bot activity. Here’s how businesses can start:

1. Partner with Advanced Security Providers: Collaborate with companies specialising in invisible challenge technologies. These providers offer solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing systems, enhancing security without disrupting the user experience.
2. Leverage Behavioral Analytics: Use tools that analyse user behaviour, such as mouse movements, typing patterns, and browsing habits. Bots often exhibit predictable and repetitive behaviour, which can be flagged and blocked by these tools.
3. Adopt Device Fingerprinting: Implement device fingerprinting to create unique identifiers for each device accessing the website. This helps detect and block bots using spoofed or multiple devices.
4. Monitor Network Traffic: Keep an eye on network traffic for unusual patterns, such as multiple requests from a single IP address or rapid, repeated access attempts. This can help identify and mitigate bot attacks in real time.

While invisible challenges offer a powerful alternative to traditional CAPTCHAs, they won’t eliminate the need for visible tests in all scenarios. As always, there is no silver bullet, however, a combined approach will provide a robust defence. By using invisible challenges as the first line of defence and reserving CAPTCHAs for instances where suspicious behaviour is detected, businesses can minimise user frustration while maintaining high security standards.

For example, a user exhibiting normal behaviour can pass through without any visible test, while a user showing signs of bot-like activity might be prompted with a simple, less intrusive CAPTCHA. This way, businesses can ensure security without significantly impacting the user experience.

Online threats will always evolve and businesses must adapt their security strategies. As you adapt it’s important to remember “We’ve always done it this way” reasoning should immediately invite scrutiny. CAPTCHAs are a perfect example - they’re no longer sufficient to protect your business and detract from your user’s experience. By adopting invisible challenges and combining them with modern CAPTCHA techniques, businesses can enhance security, reduce user frustration, and ultimately boost their bottom line. It’s time to rethink and upgrade our approach to online security.