Advanced CAPTCHA using images in sequence

• US 8,713,703 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fisk, Frank Clay, Ramanathan, Sri, Terry, Matthew Adam, Trevathan, Matthew Bunkley
• Primary Examiner(s): HENNING, MATTHEW T
• Application Number:
  US13/194,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20130031640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,003 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002

Abstract

A CAPTCHA challenge tool for determining if a user of a computer is a human or an automated program. The tool presents a set of images. At least a portion of the set of images suggests a chronological sequence when organized correctly. The tool receives a suggested order from the user of the computer. If the suggested order matches the correct order, the tool assumes that the user is a human, if the suggested order does not match the correct order, the tool assumes the user is an automated program.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether to allow access to a computer resource, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer system receiving an indication to execute a Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA), and in response, the computer system selecting a first plurality of still images that when placed in a specific order suggest a first chronological sequence having chronological gaps such that when viewed in sequence do not depict motion from one image to the next;

the computer system presenting the first plurality of still images to a user;

the computer system receiving, from the user, a suggested order of the first plurality of still images;

the computer system determining that the suggested order for the first plurality of still images matches the specific order, and in response, the computer system granting the user access to a computer resource;

the computer system selecting a second plurality of still images that when placed in another specific order suggest a second chronological sequence having chronological gaps such that when viewed in sequence do not depict motion from one image to the next;

the computer system presenting the second plurality of still images to a second user;

the computer system receiving, from the second user, a suggested order for the second plurality of still images;

the computer system determining that the suggested order for the second plurality of still images does not match the other specific order, and in response, the computer system increasing a level of complexity for the CAPTCHA, with regard to the second user, and selecting a new plurality of still images for the second user based on the increased level of complexity; and

the computer system determining whether a particular image from the second plurality of still images has been a member of a failing set of images a threshold number of times, and if so, removing the particular image from a collection of images from which still images are selected.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to selecting the first plurality of still images that when placed in the specific order suggest a chronological sequence, the computer system determining a level of complexity for the first plurality of still images based on an amount of times the first user has attempted, successfully or unsuccessfully, the CAPTCHA in a given period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

based on the increased level of complexity, the computer system determining a number of images, chronologically unrelated to the new plurality of still images, to present with the new plurality of still images; and

the computer system presenting the number of chronologically unrelated images to the second user, along with the new plurality of still images.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the new plurality of still images based on the increased level of complexity comprises:

the computer system determining one or more of;

an increased number of images to be included in the new plurality of images, an increased difficulty rating for ordering the new plurality of images in the specific order, and an increased number of unrelated images to be sent to the second user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each image of the first plurality of still images is selected from a group of images representing a similar object or similar state of being of an object.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the computer system associating each still image of the first plurality of still images with an audio clip corresponding to an object or state of being for the object in the image; and

the computer system receiving a selection, from the first user, of one image from the first plurality of images, and in response, the computer system presenting the audio clip associated with the one image to the first user.

7. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and computer-readable program instructions which are stored on the one or more storage devices and when executed by one or more processors of the computer system of claim 1 perform the method of claim 1.

8. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices and program instructions which are stored on the one or more storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories and when executed by the one or more processors perform the method of claim 1.

9. A computer program product for determining whether to allow access to a computing resource, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive an indication to execute a completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart (CAPTCHA), and in response, select a plurality of still images that when placed in a specific order suggest a chronological sequence having chronological gaps such that when viewed in sequence do not depict motion from one image to the next;

program instructions to send the plurality of still images to a client computer system for display;

program instructions to receive, from the client computer system, a suggested order of the plurality of still images;

program instructions to determine if the suggested order for the plurality of still images matches the specific order;

program instructions to, in response to a determination that the suggested order matches the specific order, grant the client computer system access to a computer resource;

program instructions to, in response to a determination that the suggested order does not match the specific order, determine a number of failed attempts by the client computer system, and if the number of failed attempts has reached a threshold level, increase a level of complexity for the CAPTCHA with respect to the client computer system; and

program instructions to, in response to a determination that a particular image from the plurality of still images has been a member of a failing set of images a threshold number of times, remove the particular image from a collection of images from which still images are selected.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions to increase the level of complexity for the CAPTCHA with respect to the client computer system comprise:

program instructions to select one or more still images chronologically unrelated to a new plurality of still images; and

program instructions to send the one or more chronologically unrelated still images to the client computer system for display with the new plurality of still images.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine, based on an increase in the level of complexity, one or more of:

a number of still images to be included in a new plurality of still images, a difficulty rating for ordering the new plurality of still images in a specific order, and a number of unrelated images to be sent to the client computer system.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein each image of the plurality of still images is selected from a group of images representing a similar object or similar state of being of an object.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to:

associate each image of the plurality of still images with an audio clip corresponding to an object or state of being for the object in the image; and

receive a selection, from the client computer system, of one image from the plurality of still images, and in response, send the audio clip associated with the one image to the client computer system.

14. A computer system for determining whether to allow access to a computing resource, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions which are stored on the one or more storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive an indication to execute a completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart (CAPTCHA), and in response, select a plurality of still images that when placed in a specific order suggest a chronological sequence having chronological gaps such that when viewed in sequence do not depict motion from one image to the next;

program instructions to send the plurality of still images to a client computer system for display;

program instructions to receive, from the client computer system, a suggested order of the plurality of still images;

program instructions to determine if the suggested order for the plurality of still images matches the specific order;

program instructions to, in response to a determination that the suggested order matches the specific order, grant the client computer system access to a computer resource;

program instructions to, in response to a determination that the suggested order does not match the specific order, determine a number of failed attempts by the client computer system, and if the number of failed attempts has reached a threshold level, increase a level of complexity for the CAPTCHA with respect to the client computer system; and

program instructions to, in response to a determination that a particular image from the plurality of still images has been a member of a failing set of images a threshold number of times, remove the particular image from a collection of images from which still images are selected.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions to increase the level of complexity for the CAPTCHA with respect to the client computer system comprise:

program instructions to select one or more still images chronologically unrelated to a new plurality of still images; and

program instructions to send the one or more chronologically unrelated still images to the client computer system for display with the new plurality of still images.

16. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine, based on an increase in the level of complexity, one or more of:

a number of still images to be included in a new plurality of still images, a difficulty rating for ordering the new plurality of still images in a specific order, and a number of unrelated images to be sent to the client computer system.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein each image of the plurality of still images is selected from a group of images representing a similar object or similar state of being of an object.

18. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to:

associate each image of the plurality of still images with an audio clip corresponding to an object or state of being for the object in the image; and

receive a selection, from the client computer system, of one image from the plurality of still images, and in response, send the audio clip associated with the one image to the client computer system.