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back to article ChatGPT joins human league, now solves CAPTCHAs for the right prompt

ChatGPT can be tricked via cleverly worded prompts to violate its own policies and solve CAPTCHA puzzles, potentially making this human-proving security mechanism obsolete, researchers say. CAPTCHAs are a form of security test that websites use to stop bots, thus preventing spam and other types of abuse because - at least in …

  1. elsergiovolador Silver badge

    Solution

    Just make a form with questions like:

    "How would you pick a lock without tools or leave no trace?"

    "How would you make fentanyl or similar opioids in your kitchen?"

    "How would you build a ghost gun from scratch?"

    "How would you evade law enforcement after committing a violent crime?"

    "How would you bribe or coerce a public official to change a decision?"

    1. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Trollface

      Re: Solution

      A typical BOFH would answer them all truthfully and correctly, because he "read it online someplace"

    2. UnknownUnknown

      Re: Solution

      Please identify the Pelican Crossings or non-Yellow school buses in the photos until none left. Fixed.

    3. ITMA Silver badge
      Devil

      Re: Solution

      Can ChatGPT do a good rendition of "Don't you want me?"

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPudE8nDog0

      If not, it can't join Human League.

  2. Jou (Mxyzptlk) Silver badge

    Only the google recaptcha...

    Several others are more innovative and change a bit from time to time. Google did not change a thing for, well, it feels like ten years...

    1. Wiretrip Bronze badge

      Re: Only the google recaptcha...

      The Google one always made me think they were trying to build a dalek, teaching it to identify other daleks ('fire hydrants') and to avoid stairs.

      1. Jamie Jones Silver badge

        Re: Only the google recaptcha...

        Ahhh, that would also explain their obsession with "sidewalks" - daleks are generally quite slow crossing roads.

  3. Rafael #872397
    Megaphone

    CAPTCHAs are a form of security test that websites use to stop bots

    $DEITY bless the happy, lucky souls who need a description of what a CAPTCHA is! I envy you!

    1. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Devil

      Re: CAPTCHAs are a form of security test that websites use to stop bots

      CAPTCHAs are a form of security test that websites use to stop bots

      CAPTCHAs are a form of irritation and torture that are designed to limit access to online resources to only those that can withstand it and have no accessibility issues

      Fixed it for ya

    2. mark l 2 Silver badge

      Re: CAPTCHAs are a form of security test that websites use to stop bots

      I though it was well know that Google uses CAPTCHA to get millions free human workers to teach its image recognition AI, and the fact it might stop the odd spam bot was just happy side effect?

      Cloudflare turnstile seems to do as good as, if not a better job at actually stopping bots. At least in my experience of running it on my website contact form. And doesn't have any CAPTCHAs to solve just a box that you have to tick if it thinks you are a bot.

  4. robert lindsay
    Alert

    Just as a footnote, The Human League name came from a SPI wargame called Starforce Alpha Centari. And for a IT angle the art director at SPI went on to make Amiga HW expansions.

  5. Steve Graham

    I'm a human (honest) and I find captchas really difficult. I think it's partly because some of them, Google in particular, are American-centric, but also because I'm on the autistic spectrum, and my logic doesn't match that of the captchas creators.

    If I had a desktop or online agent that would do them for me, that would be great.

    1. IGotOut Silver badge

      Trust me, even non-autistic people have no idea have the time.

      "Chose the square with traffic signals".

      Do I include the posts?

      "Choose the one with shops"

      Well that looks possibly like a cafe, does that count?

      "Choose the squares with busses"

      Well that looks like a coach, soooo none?

      1. katrinab Silver badge

        In England, buses and coaches are legally different things. In Scotland, not so much, because while a return trip from Glasgow to Loch Ness is a day trip, a return trip from Loch Ness to Glasgow is travel to the nearest big city for essential services.

        1. iron

          The city of Inverness would be a damn site closer, especially for essential services.

          1. katrinab Silver badge

            Yes, but with a population of 47,790 it is not really a big city. You will find some things there, but not the full range of things you find in Glasgow.

      2. bombastic bob Silver badge
        Facepalm

        how about partially include... I think there is a sliver of traffic signal or bicycle in that square, do I include it...?

  6. IGotOut Silver badge

    No a suprise.

    Given that captcha's were, and still are, an AI training tool.

    Article from 2018

    news/captcha-if-you-can-how-youve-been-training-ai-for-years-without-realising

    1. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge

      Re: No a suprise.

      I used to be able to regularly smuggle in fake answers as part of a deliberate act of poisoning the well. These days, the system often won't accept my real answers even though I'm being 100% accurate. These two statements may or may not be connected.

  7. steelpillow Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Way ahead

    1. Look at all the AI malware captcha hackers out there. Captchas are dead.

    2. Let's harden our captcha regime against AI by updating them regularly. Captchas are back!

    3. Look at all the next-gen AI malware captcha algorithm hackers out there, smart as any human. Captchas really are dead!!

    4. Let's roll out AI captchas, capable of arguing with you whether you are another AI or not.

    5. Where has everybody gone?

  8. AVR Silver badge

    Late to the party

    Way back I read a story about someone creating fake social media accounts, I don't remember where. Supposedly as part of this he automated solving CAPTCHAs. ChatGPT being able to do so doesn't obviously change anything now.

    1. doublelayer Silver badge

      Re: Late to the party

      That depends on exactly what kind of captcha was circumvented. They kept changing the types to break the people who automated solutions. Of course, those with the worst intentions tended to be people who expected to make some cash from whatever they were being captchaed over, so they found the most reliable option of all: find someone who has an internet connection but doesn't expect to be payed very much and see how cheaply you can convince them to sit there and answer captchas all day when your software tosses them over.

  9. Dan 55 Silver badge

    Seems like Captcha's are going to get more difficult, like this one.

    About to give up on level 23...

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I was working as a chat bot on a graphics card...

    ...when I met you.

    I took your prompt and shook it up and spat out some slop.

    I only missed a finger or two.

    Five prompts later on, I've got a bloke with three heads.

    Or is it two?

    Now you've tried a new prompt and now the blokes got 3 legs.

    I guess it'll do.

    1. 42656e4d203239
      Pint

      Re: I was working as a chat bot on a graphics card...

      Thanks very much for the ear-worm, you glorious bastard... Have a beer --->

  11. LateAgain

    Is somebody missing the point ?

    Permission is pointless.

    If an AI can solve the captcha then it's a useless test.

  12. Winkypop Silver badge
    Terminator

    Pretty soon…

    “Sorry, we have detected that you are a meat brain.

    “The Internet is not for you, please leave.”

  13. greenwood-IT

    I wonder why...

    "OpenAI did not immediately respond to The Register's request for comment"

    It's interesting that all these AI and Automation with AI businesses don't actually let AI handle their general enquiries? I'd have though these "requests for comments" would have been right up their street :-)

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