Missing Verification Code image / sound due to filtering?!

Started by Humachine, March 13, 2011, 02:28:20 PM

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Humachine

As a citizen of a country where there is a wide Internet censorship, I find EMPTY the box that should hold the verification code when replying / registering / etc. I did take a look at similar topics, but they looked at the issue from their own angles, and since my issue deals with a key stage of using (or even deciding not to use) SMF where it has to be passed so that the main forum activities for members are done, I decided to open a region-related (or rather filtering-related) topic so that I would at least save myself from not using SMF on my site and in general, tackle this issue. For one thing, many images do not open on pages in the country where I live, since they are hosted somewhere filtered by Big Brothers, and that's what brought me to the guess that maybe the captcha images for SMF come from such a URL that is banned for us. I have also recently found out that the audio workaround has been filtered too. I can get through only by using a filter-bypass software, and that is burden I can hardly expect my future SMF members would all use or have the expertise to obtain let alone use it (if it always works). One promising thing I just found out from the Attack Topic was that I can reconfigure the verification method to ask questions rather than to show the above-mentioned images or play their audio version, but such a good news cannot stop me from wanting a thoroughly working SMF in the region. (Please view the attached screenshots. What you see in the Warning screenshot would eventually end up at a local page that is the typical message here for filtered content).

Arantor

The bottom one doesn't tell us very much... there's some kind of warning but without knowing what the warning is about, it's impossible to help.

I guess it's possible that 'verificationcode' is filtered on in some way but I can't imagine *why*.

Humachine

Thanks, but the attached shots are just for information and you'd better just regard it as a message that means the target you are looking for has been filtered. My actual point is what I said in my topic start text, that is, will there be a workaround by SMF someday so that the captcha files originate from a source NOT filtered for us here(?).

Arantor

Firstly note that CAPTCHAs aren't really that effective any more and the best way to screen users is to not use them but use verification questions instead which shouldn't be blocked anyway.

More importantly, no-one here can create a workaround for you without knowing what it is that needs to be worked around. I also find it amazing that you're assuming censorship is at work when there are about a thousand and one reasons why it might not work, but without more information I can't possibly help you figure it out.


Humachine

The reason that I assumed it's because of filtering was that I can see & hear the CAPTCHAs when I use filter bypass software to access the page. I didn't know what other info I should have provided since I know the behaviours showing what contents are filtered and you don't cause you live on the free side. Right now that I'm replying you I'm using bypass software and whenever on other occasions I'm gonna post on SMF in the future I will each time need to use it and another things you don't know is that there's a recurrent cyberwar here where each time filter bypass applications are created by one side and they are broken down again by the other. Yes, verification questions are quite good alternatives but as long as I regard it as a tool for me as the administerator of my own site but not for my postings on this very SMF site where we are talking right now. Anyway, I'm still positive and as a newcomer I know that there are things that I don't know.

Arantor

OK, so there's some kind of filter but that's all I know right now. Although I know the vast majority of SMF's internals (I think it's fair to say I know them much better than most), I can't help you find a workaround without knowing what it is that's blocked and what it is that the bypass allows for, and that's it. Tell me what it is that's being blocked and I can help you find a workaround.

In all honesty though, using custom questions is a far better solution since it shouldn't be blocked, AND it has the benefit of solving the issues with respect to automated signups that much better.

Humachine

Thank you. Let's forget about the filter thing. What I say is: "I can't see the captcha image".

Arantor

What I say is, I know you can't see the CAPTCHA image and there's nothing anyone can do about that until we know what it is that's causing it to break. If it works when there's a bypass and not otherwise, something in the filtering breaks it. But until we know what the filtering is, WE CANNOT HELP.

Humachine

the proxy/filtering system is a government software infrastructure which I'm not part of, hence, no knowledge of the know-how. I've also posted a similar question in the language-specific section to find out if users from where I am are experiencing the same or they have an answer for me, but no reply yet. let's leave it. I'm novice at forum stuff and maybe time will make things right.

Humachine

The verification code has started showing up since yesterday! Now everything goes smooth with SMF 2. Great!

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