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Re: Accessible alternative for antispam

for

From: Gareth Dart
Date: Mar 6, 2007 10:50AM

Email based registration is quite secure against spambots as, like decoding a captcha or a sound file, it requires a reasonably sophisticated script to get around it. If someone (maybe as part of a denial of service attack aimed at your organisation) is willing to put the time and resources into attacking your login page, though, then it comes down to a cleverness match between your script and theirs, and they have the advantage in that they don't have to keep valid users happy and serviced.

With regard to not having a sound card: I think we all know the old saw about what happens when one assumes, but I always assume that if users can't read things, they can listen to them, and would appreciate not having to wait for an email. Visually impaired users will most likely ensure that they have a sound card/screenreader etc. If they are hearing impaired, aswell, then, yes, email registration is probably a better bet. One could offer both - but then one opens oneself up to possible spamming via two routes. It's a trade off, basically.

G


-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]On Behalf Of Emma
Duke-Williams
Sent: Tuesday 6 March 2007 17:11
To: <EMAIL REMOVED> ; WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Accessible alternative for antispam


How prone to spamming is the method that I like best (as a forum joiner) of
1: I register
2: It sends me an email.
3: I click on the link (possibly entering the password it has sent me
- or the one that I set in the registration stage.
4: I am member.

I certainly don't like captchas, as I can't tell what the letters are
half the time - and most of the time I'm working on PCs with no sound
card, so can't use the alternative version.

Emma

On 3/6/07, Phil Teare < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> >I did it with a php script that 'stitches' wav files of letters and numbers
> being read out together into a single .wav or mp3
>