How does Google reCAPTCHA v2 work behind the scenes?

Question

This post refers to Google ReCaptcha v2 (not the latest version)

Recently Google introduced a simplified "captcha" verification system (video) that enables users to pass the "captcha" just by clicking on it.

But how can it differentiate a bot from a person just by a click?

As per this answer, (assuming a similar implementation), at first "recaptcha" generates a hidden key and attaches it to a hidden input element and also lazily renders a check box (not an actual check box input but a div) with the same key which when clicked, sends an asynchronous request (XHR) to the Google backend servers to mark it as a valid verification key (i.e. a key that has to be validated when the form is submitted).

But why can't bots automate that click (at least, browser-based bots)?

How might this work?

Answer 1

This is speculation, but based on Google's reference to the "risk analysis engine" they use (http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2014/12/are-you-robot-introducing-no-captcha.html)

I would assume it looks at how you behaved prior to clicking, how your cursor moved on its way to the check (organic path/acceleration), which part of the checkbox was clicked (random places, or dead on center every time), browser fingerprint, Google cookies & contents, click location history tied to your fingerprint or account if it detects one etc.

It's fairly difficult to fake "organic" behavior in such a way that it would fool a continuously learning pattern detection engine. In the cases where it's not sure, it still prompts you to match an actual CAPTCHA string.

Answer 2

A new paper has been released with several tests against reCAPTCHA:

https://www.blackhat.com/docs/asia-16/materials/asia-16-Sivakorn-Im-Not-a-Human-Breaking-the-Google-reCAPTCHA-wp.pdf

Some highlights:

• By keeping a cookie active for +9 days (by browsing sites with Google resources), you can then pass reCAPTCHA by only clicking the checkbox;
• There are no restrictions based on requests per IP;
• The browser's user agent must be real, and Google run tests against your environment to ensure it matches the user agent;
• Google tests if the browser can render a Canvas;
• Screen resolution and mouse events don't affect the results;

Google has already fixed the cookie vulnerability and is probably restricting some behaviors based on IPs.

Another interesting finding is that Google runs a VM in JavaScript that obfuscates much of reCAPTCHA code and behavior. This VM is known as botguard and is used to protect other services besides reCAPTCHA:

https://github.com/neuroradiology/InsideReCaptcha

UPDATE 2017

A recent paper (from August) was published on WOOT 2017 achieving 85% accuracy in solving noCAPTCHA reCAPTCHA audio challenges:

http://uncaptcha.cs.umd.edu/papers/uncaptcha_woot17.pdf

UPDATE 2018

Google is introducing reCAPTCHA v3, which looks like a "human score prediction engine" that is calibrated per website. It can be installed into different pages of a website (working like a Google Analytics script) to help reCAPTCHA and the website owner to understand the behaviour of humans vs. bots before filling a reCAPTCHA.

https://www.google.com/recaptcha/intro/v3beta.html

Answer 3

My Bots are running well against ReCaptcha.

Here my Solution.

Let your Bot do this Steps:

First write a Human Mouse Move Function to move your Mouse like a B-Spline (Ask me for Source Code). This is the most important Point.

Also use for better results a VPN like https://www.purevpn.com

For every Recpatcha do these Steps:

1. If you use VPN switch IP first

2. Clear all Browser Cookies

3. Clear all Browser Cache

4. Set one of these Useragents by Random:

   a. Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MSIE 9.0; Windows NT 6.1; Trident/5.0)

   b. Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:44.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/44.0

5 Move your Mouse with the Human Mouse Move Funktion from a RandomPoint into the I am not a Robot Image every time with different 10x10 Randomrange

6. Then Click ever with random delay between

   WM_LBUTTONDOWN

   and

   WM_LBUTTONUP

7. Take Screenshot from Image Captcha

8. Send Screenshot to

   http://www.deathbycaptcha.com

   or

   https://2captcha.com

and let they solve.

9. After receiving click cooridinates from captcha solver use your Human Mouse move Funktion to move and Click Recaptcha Images

10. Use your Human Mouse Move Funktion to move and Click to the Recaptcha Verify Button

In 75% all trys Recaptcha will solved

Chears Google

Tom

Answer 4

May I present my guess, since this is not a open technology.

Google says it's about combing information from before, during, after to distinguish human from robot. But I am more interested about that final click on the check box.

Say, the POST data (solved CAPTCHA) has a field called fingerprint, a string calculated from user behavior. I think there may be a field about that check box location. I guess this check box is in a coordinate system randomly generated by Google back-end and encrypted by the public key of my site. So, a robot may "guess/calculate" a location about this box, but when site owner makes the GET query with private key to verify user identity, Google will decrypt the coordinate system and say if the user click on the right place. So, only one possible right click(with some offsets, it's a square box) location in this random coordinate system owned by only Google and site owners.

Answer 5

Please remember that Google also use reCaptcha together with

Canvas fingerprinting 

to uniquely recognize User/Browsers without cookies!