CAPTCHA Definition: Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. It is a security measure to distinguish between human users and bots.
Purpose: Protect websites from automated attacks like spam, fake accounts, and data theft.
Origin: Introduced in the early 2000s due to increasing bot activity. The first patent was filed in 2003 by Luis von Ahn and his team.
Presents challenges that are easy for humans but difficult for computers, such as identifying distorted text or specific objects in images. Based on the Turing Test.
Evolution: Started with distorted text, evolved to include image recognition, audio challenges, and behavioral analysis (e.g., mouse movements with “Invisible reCAPTCHA”). reCAPTCHA was introduced in 2009 to digitise printed text.
Applications: Used in website forms, comment sections, registration pages, financial transactions, account
Limitations: Can be bypassed by increasingly sophisticated bots. Presents accessibility challenges for users with disabilities. Can be annoying and time-consuming for users.
Future: Needs to become more accessible and user-friendly while remaining effective against evolving bot technology.
