What is reCAPTCHA?- Why is it important?
Recaptcha is one of the most preferred tools that businesses these days use to safeguard their website from spam and automated bots. It is a free Google tool that helps your website identify between real users and bots. Those who confuse it with captcha must know that reCaptcha is the advanced version of the conventional one, which uses Machine Learning to detect risks.
It is often used by websites to prevent the misuse of contact forms and other forms like sign-up forms.
How does the reCAPTCHA algorithm work?
No matter who the user is, they must pass the reCAPTCHA test despite the age and gender of the user. The objective behind reCAPTCHA is to use methods for humans that Autobots can’t replicate.
It uses artificial intelligence (AI) for verification to identify and confirm that the user is human and not a bot.
These keep on changing every time you refresh the page and are entirely generated by the computer and cannot be influenced by humans.
The tests usually involve numbers and characters and use a combination that makes it difficult to understand for bots. So, if you wish to clear user authentication, it is vital that you fill the exact CAPTCHA as generated by the automated system.
It uses a twisted version of characters and numbers that makes it troublesome for bots to identify them.
On the other hand, sophisticated bots have been developed that are capable of solving conventional CAPTCHAs very quickly with algorithms that are trained to recognize patterns.
reCAPTCHA v1 developed by Google replaces conventional CAPTCHAs with more advanced tests.
In these reCAPTCHA tests, the terms used were generated by the computer and were altered from ancient books or news articles.
The version, however, is no longer accessible due to bots finding it too easy to play and real users finding it to be too difficult.
Following this, reCAPTCHA v2 was launched as a way to discourage bots while allowing humans to still solve the tests.
This new reCAPTCHA test requires users either to select pictures that relate to a theme or check the box next to the text that reads, “I am not a robot.”
It is even designed so as not to disrupt the user experience with the more recent versions – reCAPTCHA v3 for example. Because this edition calculates a score based on the user’s current activity and their past behavior, users’ involvement is limited.
The takeaway
Ultimately, websites cannot rely only on CAPTCHA to protect against spam attacks when it comes to anti-account-hijacking. The test will continue to evolve and improve, but at what cost?
CAPTCHAs do not mean your data is secure just because a website has them.
The system is, unfortunately, collecting so much personal information that it is really important for businesses to keep their user information private. And reCAPTCHA is undoubtedly the best to do that.
